Paces
by Jen1978
Summary: No one knows what the unkown past of a man hides. Adam's comes back to haunt him and those he loves Slash AdamRey
1. Chapter 1

**PACING**

Pacing…

Pacing alone in a corridor, in a hospital…

Fear fills his heart and eats away his soul…

Because of a choice, a decision made for him a very long time ago.

He looks through the glass window inside a room.

There lies Rey, his best friend, his partner, and with a strange twist of fate, his soul mate, his love.

There he lies, alone, in a dark room with a machine keeping him alive, doing the breathing for him.

He looks inside, at the small man lying in bed and he expects every breath he takes to be his last. He knows the pain he is in, he should know…he is the only one Rey told about. Yet in all this fear and death, he cannot go inside and sit beside him.

He looks away from the room. He expects the others to arrive soon… and then he will have some explaining to do, because of their choices, their actions and their emotions.

If he could go back to the beginning of it all, he still is not sure if he would or could change something. Everything has happened so fast, so suddenly. One thing he knows is that in all this madness, they had managed to find each other, something that proved to be the best and the worst thing that has ever happened to their lives…

The best and worst… by far.

Edge and Rey had been tag team partners a couple of years ago. They had met in the WWE and immediately something had clicked between them. It was like they knew each other for a long time. When they had decided to become tag team partners, everybody was amazed because of their size and technique differences. For Edge to become partner with such a small wrestler was a mistake for a lot of people. They thought he ought to have chosen somebody larger, somebody to match his own size and thus become invincible in the ring. Of course the people who knew Rey very well, like Billy and Eddie, they thought it was a good idea. Rey was a great partner to have. His highflying maneuvers had managed in the past to break down even the biggest of the wrestlers and make them have a run for their money. It was a great idea! In the ring, they completed each other's moves, they communicated perfectly. Edge's grounding power matched perfectly Rey's aerial moves. They looked after and protected one another. For a while everything looked and worked perfectly. But then Edge was traded to Raw, and that decision changed everything. Their ways had parted and it seemed that each wrestler was on their own again.

Until the night they saw each other again for the first time in two years.

Rey had lost that night, and his defeat was ugly. He had hurt his stomach and groin after the last illegal kick from D-Von Dudley, a blind kick that the referee did not see since he was distracted from Bubba Ray. That kick had cost him the match since it left him breathless on the ring mat. Paramedics came to assist him but he refused their help. He was too proud to do that. Instead he sucked all the pain inside and tried to stand up. The first time he tried to, he fell on the ring right on his knee. The pain surged though his body and he felt vomit coming, surfacing up to his throat. He took a breath and the sudden pain made him fold in two. He crawled outside the ring. The shouts of the fans moved him. They shouted out loud giving him their love and support and he could not fail them since in their eyes Rey was the true winner of the match. He sucked all the pain again, took another deep breath and stood up straight. He lifted up his fist and waved the crowd while making his exit.

In the corridors backstage none approached him and he didn't show them how much he suffered. He passed them by and headed for the locker room.

As soon as he entered, seeing nobody there, he let himself fall on the floor with a loud thumping sound. He removed his mask still clutching his groin. The damage was not so big. It would be better after vomiting. That thought send him to the bathroom coughing out saliva and blood.

The door opened suddenly and a well known but terribly missed figure entered.

"Hello, is anybody here?"

Edge came in the locker room and spotting Rey's white mask lying on the floor, his heart skipped a beat. Rey would never throw away his mask like that on the ground; he was too neat and tidy with his wrestling gear, not to mention how much he treasured his 'heritage'. He hadn't time to think what had happened, since almost immediately, he heard Rey spitting out the last drop of liquid left inside his body.

"Hey Rey are you in there?"

Nothing…

He knocked on the bathroom door and asked again.

"Hey man, is everything OK? It's me, Adam."

He began to worry and thought of knocking down the door, but sighed in relief when he heard Rey gasping in response.

"I think I just puked every meal I had the entire weak… along with my stomach."

"Do you need any help?"

The door opened and Rey came out.

"No, I am fine thanks." he said and headed to the bench. He was very pale, and he looked really tired. Edge sat beside him and looked him in the eyes. Rey hadn't removed the contacts yet and his eyes when filled up with tears from the strain and the pain he felt still in his groin and stomach.

"Are you feeling better?"

Rey nodded.

"That's a rhetorical question, right? What are you doing here anyway?"

"I came to meet Vince. We are making the last arrangements for the next pay-per-view."

Edge lowered his voice.

"Rey… what happened?"

Rey turned slightly his head facing Edge. "The Dudley's… I tell you; sometimes I think there is nothing under that thick scull of theirs. Too many head butts made them lose the last brain cells they had left. But I am fine. It was just a match; it is not such a big deal. It just took the wind out of me. I will be fine… as soon as a catch my breath…" Rey's last words came out almost like a whisper. He folded again in two, gasping from the pain. Edge put his arms around Rey's torso and helped him sit up straight. Rey looked paler and weaker. He kept his eyes shut. He seemed to be thinner from the last time he had seen him on TV. Edge slapped Rey in the cheeks to wake him up.

"Hey buddy, come on wake up… Rey come on stay with me…"

Rey opened his eyes slowly and looked at his friend's face, mumbling.

"…can't…" and almost fainted. Edge held him, this time more firmly. He felt Rey's body giving up from the exhaustion. The last days were especially difficult for Rey because of his difficult schedule, the shows, the hard matches, the beatings, the public appearances, the training, the constant traveling and the bad sleeping. But it wasn't something he hadn't done before. He put his arm around his shoulder and lifted him up.

"Come on now, we are taking a cold shower to wake us up… come on now, help me, walk with me…"

Rey gathered every last drop of strength he had left and managed to stand up and take a few clumsy steps to the shower. Edge opened the cold water flow and held Rey under the shower. Rey's eyes opened wide and gasped violently as soon as he felt the water falling hard and cold on his already shivering body. He looked at Edge. He too was under the shower in his street clothes, all wet and shivering, but not willing to let his friend fall. Their eyes locked. They both breathed heavily. Edge felt Rey's muscles under his firm embrace tighten up and his tattoos stretching. He had a weird feeling in his stomach holding Rey like that in his arms, like a bird, shivering, so small, so dependable and so unprotected. The feeling he had was new, and for the first time he didn't feel like protecting him, but kissing him. Their breathing became heavier and an electrifying feeling ran though their bodies as they approached their wet lips closer in their first kiss. The water poured down hard on them, but they didn't stop. Their kiss became more passionate, more violent as the cold streams of water ran fast from their faces lower to their wet bodies. Their tongues started a sexual dance, and for a minute they forgot everything around them. Their hands met and clasped tightly. Edge put his other hand on Rey's shoulder and let it slip all the way to the down to the small of his back sending more shivers up his spine.

Rey looked up at Edge. This was the first time he was looking at his partner this way. The desire he felt growing inside him was consuming him, but it was something more than physical, something beyond their bodies touching. It felt natural, not wrong; it didn't feel weird or out of place. Looking into the eyes of the man opposite of him made his heart beat faster.

Edge was looking back at him. His hands caressed Rey's cheek's and ended up resting around his neck. Rey felt that if his friend removed his hands away from his neck, he would fall down. He kept looking at Edge intensely, his breathing heavy and his desire mounting with every heartbeat.

"What is it?" Edge asked softly, while caressing Rey's cheek.

"Don't let go" he replied shivering, "Just don't let go"

"I will never let go, never again." Edge replied and he felt drowning in the eyes of the man facing him. He stretched to kiss him again and Rey kissed him back. He kissed his neck and let his hands down to his t-shirt. Edge removed it with a single thrust, leaving himself half naked before the white eyes of the luchador. Rey kissed his bare chest and it was Edge's turn to feel shivers. He leaned on the cold wall behind him unable to move. The tongue of Rey licking his nipples, and tracing its way lower to his stomach sent him in the most extraordinary plane of existence, a place of trance, unworldly and deliciously numbing. None of them wanted to stop but a sound coming from outside the shower made them do so. Rey looked Edge in panic. The voice of Eddie came from outside the shower's glass door.

"Hey Holmes, are you in there?"

Rey pulled Edge in front of him and hid. Edge's fast thinking was the only thing that saved them from the embarrassment. He took Rey's arm and put it around his shoulders. He winked at him and responded to Eddie.

"Yeah… I am here with Rey" and opened the shower door.

Eddie was surprised to see them together but Edge continued.

"Rey wasn't feeling well after the match with D-Von. I found him throwing up and soon after he passed out. I thought a cold shower might wake him up."

Eddie took Rey's other arm and helped him to the bench.

"Yeah, I saw the match man… that was nasty. I never thought it was that serious. When I came in and saw the mask lying on the floor, you know… I got worried bro…"

"I think D-Von got a little carried away tonight…"Rey said. "That last kick knocked the wind out of me and for a second I blacked out, out there. Man, I threw up every lunch I had that this week. Thank God Adam was there to help me…" he said turning to his friend.

"You ought to see a doctor." Eddie added but Rey refused.

"All I need is some rest. That's all… and some food."

"Are you sure? Can I get you something?" Eddie asked. Rey nodded his head refusing.

"Um… Eddie, since I am all wet, can I borrow some of your clothes?" Adam asked.

"Sure man, help yourself. My bag is right there. Ok then, if you don't need me anymore, I'm going. I have a match tonight… Nice to see you again man" said turning to Edge. "Don't be a stranger Holmes, OK?"

"Cuidado amigo. Gracias" Rey said watching Eddie leave the locker room.

Edge sat beside him. He took a deep breath.

"Rey what happened in there? "

"I have no idea." He hesitated… "This is the first time something like this happens to me, this is the first time I feel this way…"

"Being with you in there made me feel different too, Edge replied. All I know is that holding you in my arms, made me want you with every part of me… I still do… It is something… I can't describe it. It doesn't feel weird, it feels right… it feels…"

"Natural?" Rey asked lowering his voice and his head. Edge took Rey's chin between his fingers and turned his head to face him.

"Rey, you must understand. I don't regret what has happened. To tell you the truth, somewhere deep inside I'm glad it happened… I…"

"No… don't…" Rey begged. "Don't say anything… please." He lifted up his eyes and looked straight at his friend. "Why are you really here? Why did you come here after all this time? Why now?"

All these questions filled Mysterio's head. The events of the last few minutes began to sink in and he realized what had just happened between them.

He got up and stood away from Edge. He rubbed his face with his hands.

Edge got up and started putting some clothes he had found in Eddie's bag. They didn't fit him too well, but they would have to do.

"God, I am so tired I cannot even think straight anymore. I don't even know what I am doing." He heard Rey saying.

"Rey… you are very tired. Please let me take you to the hotel and get some rest. There is time for this. We don't have to talk about it tonight."

Rey was unable to argue. He suddenly felt very tired. All he wanted to do was sleep. He nodded positively and looked again at his friend who was done dressing up.

"I have to go see some old friends and some other people about this pay-per-view coming up but it shouldn't take too long. Should I come back here?"

"No, I'll wait outside in the back parking lot of the arena."

"OK. My car is there anyway. I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

Edge squeezed slightly the shoulder of the luchador and then caressed his chin. Rey didn't twitch or moved away to avoid it. He just looked at him sadly. Edge started to go and while he was at the door, Rey said with a sad tone of voice:

"Hey, Adam. I am happy you are here with me tonight. I wouldn't want to be alone."

Edge looked back from the distance at his friend. He couldn't figure out what these last words meant. But the sadness and the fear he saw for a moment in Rey's eyes scared him. For a single heart beat Rey looked as scared as no man he had ever seen before. He tightened his grip on the opened door and with a face of concern, he heard him add:

"We'll talk about it when we are alone. This is not the place or the time to do so."

Edge was so surprised with what he heard that he could not do anything else but nod and whisper softly:

"I'll meet you outside."

Edge left the locker room leaving Rey behind alone. The last words they had exchanged really troubled him. Rey seemed bizarre in more ways than one. First there was the scene in the shower that had come out of the blue, and then those cryptic last words. He promised himself that he would talk to his friend about it tonight.

He found Vince McMahon in his office. They spoke for a while about the pay-per-view coming up, his match with Chris Jericho about the Intercontinental Championship and about some significant details. Edge thought of asking him about Rey, but then he remembered that while Vince cared about him, he didn't really know Rey and that talking about him wasn't a good idea. Perhaps somebody else would know.

He left the office half an hour later. He walked in the corridors fast. Damn, Rey was probably waiting for him outside and he didn't want to leave him alone, not after his strange behavior tonight. He passed outside the locker rooms again, and stopped just to make sure that Rey wasn't still inside. He found Kurt Angle, Billy Kidman, RVD and John Cena, all inside getting ready to leave. The show was almost over, and most of the wrestlers had already left. When they saw Edge, they were happy to see him again. They exchanged the casual greetings and as Edge started to leave, he remembered that Rey and Billy were good friends; in fact they knew each other since the days of WCW.

"Hey, Billy, can I talk to you for a second out here man?"

Billy followed Edge outside the locker room in the corridor. Edge whispered softly to make sure that no one listened.

"Hey, I saw Rey a while ago and he didn't seem to do very well. Is there something wrong with him? I know you are friends and all, and I am really worried about him, so I was wondering… Did he tell you what is wrong?"

Billy starred at the blond man. He remained quiet for a while, thinking and finally he said:

"What happens in Rey's life is his business…"

"What?" Edge asked perplexed. "What is that suppose to mean?"

"Those were his words… Well, you know how secretive he is about his personal life. For some time now, he has been very distant with everybody, including me. He has changed. What you saw tonight is something going on for a while now. We all noticed but he didn't want to speak about it to anyone, not even Eddie. I tried talking to him, but he wouldn't open up."

"Do you have any clue what it is? Is it his family? His work?"

Billy shrugged.

"I really don't know. Last time I tried to talk to him, he warned me to stay away from his personal life. He told me that it was none of my business, so I gave up trying. He wasn't angry, he just brushed me off saying that he was just tired, but I didn't believe him. Look, if he is not willing even to talk about it, then there is not much I can do… Did he tell you anything?"

Edge bit his lower lip. He wasn't sure if Billy was the right man to talk to after all, but under the circumstances he had no other choice.

"Listen, I don't have much time, but when I saw him tonight there was something about him that bothered me. Then there is something he said to me…"

"What did he tell you?"

"He said he didn't want to be alone. Something has Rey spooked. He seemed terrified of something or somebody…" he paused. "I will drive him to the hotel and I hope he'll talk to me…"

Billy shook his head.

"Call me if you need anything OK? I believe Rey needs a friend right now, but don't push him into anything. From my experience if you push him the wrong way or too far, things will only get worse… for him and for you…"

"Alright… I will call you…"

With these words they parted. Edge headed towards the exit. He was sure that the luchador would not have taken the front one. Something told him that he wouldn't want to see any fans or any sort of crowd tonight. He turned left at the next crossing corridors and after a while he found the side door to the back parking lot.

The air was cold outside and made his breath freeze. He stood still right in front of the door and scanned the area to find Rey. It took him a while to adjust to the darkness and the cold, but he soon saw Rey at the far left corner of the parking. He was sitting on the hood of Edge's car wearing a black bonnet and a black leather jacket, his hands in his pockets, looking away into the city lights and the darkness of the night.

"Hey…" Edge saluted him… "How did you know that this car was mine?"

"Easy… Ι just looked for the oldest car in the parking." He smiled…

Edge gave out a sincere laugh…

"Besides, the license plates were a dead give away."

Edge looked at his license plates that read THE EDGE… and lifted his eyebrows. He sat beside Rey. Only then he saw that Rey was holding in his hands a photo of his wife and his two kids. The photo was recent but looked used from the constant traveling and carrying around in Rey's pockets and bags.

"How are they?" he asked softly.

Rey didn't answer the question. He kept looking away into the night. He shivered and then turned to look at Edge.

He felt that the simple question he had paused had hit the problem or part of the problem that troubled him. He remembered Billy's words not to push him and he decided to lift the uncomfortable silence he had created.

"Come on, let's go. Eddie's clothes aren't really comfortable. I need to change. Then we can grab a bite" Edge suggested before Rey could answer.

They got into the car and drove off.

They didn't speak a word on their way to the hotel. Edge wasn't staying at the same hotel as the rest of the Smackdown wrestlers, and seeing Rey's condition he knew that driving him to the hotel with the others wasn't such a good idea.

Rey looked out from the car window. The city lights glowed so bright. The neon signs flashed so vividly that burned his eyes and the people seemed to stand still locked in a movement that lasted forever. Time outside the car seemed to be inexistent. It was like looking a photograph or a painting. He rested his head on the window letting his dark brown eyes wonder and his body relax.

They arrived at the hotel soon enough. Rey didn't complain seeing that he wasn't at his hotel. It didn't matter to him anyway. Edge noticed that his friend still held the photo of his family tight in his hand but he still didn't say a word. They entered room 309. It was quite big, with a double bed and a balcony that looked over to the avenue in front of the hotel entrance.

As soon as they entered, Rey sat on the bed and looked again at the photo.

"Would you mind telling me what's wrong?" Edge asked.

"It's…" Rey sighed…"It's my family."

"What about it? Is everyone OK? I see the photo in your hands. Rey what is going on? Everybody is worried about you. Billy told me…"

"NO…" Rey shouted interrupting. He stood up from the bed and approached the balcony. "I need you to be here for me. YOU… no one else. Billy would not understand."

"What is it? Rey I don't understand. Please tell me. I can see how scared you are. I hate to see you in such pain and fear. I am your friend… and… and…I love you."

He fell silent. He couldn't believe that he had actually said those things to Rey. He had been fighting with these feelings for a long time now. Deep inside he knew that this was part of the reason why he went to Raw. With every day he passed near Rey, his passion grew stronger and in the end he left not wanting to destroy his partner's family life. But today, after all this time, seeing him again and in such distress, made his heart break. Rey needed him in more ways than simple friendship. The truth is that he probably wouldn't have expressed his true feelings if they hadn't kissed in the showers.

"I am sorry…I shouldn't have said that… I know that it is wrong for me to say it to you now but today when I saw you like this, I just knew that I had to tell you. I understand it is not fair, but after everything that happened in the locker room and the shower, I… Rey… I love you… "

"No…stop it… just stop it…" Rey said interrupting again his friend. He was facing the window, and all the time that Edge kept talking he dare not face him. Only after having heard these words, did he turn around.

Edge then stopped in mid sentence. Rey was crying. Tears ran down his face for a while now but he hadn't shown them earlier. His tears had reached down to his neck and the sobs were violently surfacing.

He took a deep breath trying to calm down.

"Please don't… you don't understand…"

"Please Rey don't cry. I can't stand to see you like this in pain, please…" Edge begged. He approached Rey by the window. He took his face in his arms and whispered softly again:

"I hate to see you suffer. I love you so much that it hurts me to see you like this"

"You still don't get it do you? Adam… I think I am falling in love with you too…"

"Then why the tears?"

Edge kissed Rey's eyes. The salty tears wet his lips and with his fingers, he swept the rest of them.

"I am not crying for us" Rey whispered. "You are the best thing that's happened to me. Being with you feels so good. My heart stops every time you touch me. And I don't understand why I feel this way after all this time. Seeing you tonight stirred inside me unknown feelings. Your presence is so soothing for me… Adam, I need you… I need you to hold me close to you."

Edge embraced the luchador. He put his arms around Rey and held him close.

Having his arms around the small man and holding him so close, their bodies touching, made Edge shiver. He was surprised to feel Rey kissing his neck. He never expected to see him make the first move, not after the shower scene.

But Rey knew what he was doing and he knew exactly what he wanted. Tonight he needed to feel Adam close to him. He needed to feel loved by him and none other. There was no point any more in denying the newborn feeling inside. All the problems had vanished the minute Edge touched him right there in that room. All the troubles were gone because he was there holding him, loving him and that was all that mattered… for the moment. He knew he loved the blond man, he just hadn't realized it yet. And now there they were. Having his hands around the bigger man, feeling him so close, he could almost hear how fast his heart was beating. The tears were gone and so were the fear and the pain. Instinctively he turned his head and kissed Edge on the neck.

His hot breath made Edge's skin crawl and he began to breathe heavily. He turned Rey's face around and kissed him passionately. Their tongues met once more tonight and this time their kiss deepened marking the point of no return.

Edge slipped his hands on Rey's shoulders and let them caress their way down. He didn't resist. He slipped them under Rey's black blouse and touched his smooth skin. Immediately he heard a soft moan as Rey tilted his head backwards. Edge grabbed the blouse and took it off leaving the Mexican half naked. His superb tanned body was the sexiest one he had ever seen. He touched his chest again and kissed Rey at the base of his neck.

Rey held him tight. The electrifying surge of Edge's touch, of his amazing kiss awoke inside again emotions never existing before. He couldn't resist him, he didn't want to. All he needed was Adam. He needed more than a kiss.

Adam lead Rey on the bed, still kissing him. He pushed him down gently and took off his own clothes.

Rey was lying on the white clean hotel sheets looking at the blond wrestler undress. His tall well built muscular body and his two strong arms sent shivers through his body as he saw Adam, completely naked, leaning above him slowly. He was breathing faster, unable to think. He opened his mouth to speak but only a gasping moan came out. Adam's hands were touching him, having already taken his pants and underwear off. They didn't feel ashamed because they knew each other for such a long time. So when Adam asked him:

"Are you sure about this?"

Rey only shook his head, grabbed him from the waist and pulled him down on him.

Adam leaned over and kissed Rey's lips. The beauty of the small man underneath amazed him. He was so fragile, and yet so strong. He was like a rare wild bird, exotically delicate, wonderfully beautiful and yet tremendously strong. His dark brown eyes glowed brightly in the dark and showed nothing but love and passion. All signs of fear or pain were vanished. Adam could see inside the love, the passion, the lust.

He let his hand slip over Rey's abdomen, even lower, between his thighs. He looked back at him, at the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his life; a creature that trembled in his every touch, like a soft feather, a flower, so beautiful, so precious and so deliciously exceptional. He leaned and kissed him again, and with a single thrust he entered his finger into him sending powerful vibes into Rey's body. He wanted to taste him, taste every inch if his body. He continued to move his finger inside his anus and hearing Rey moan in pleasure, he put in a second one. Rey hissed, his voice sending out a cry, something between pain and pleasure. Adam seeing the small luchador toss and turn under his caresses felt his own passion growing rapidly. He put his fingers deeper, reaching Rey's prostate, sending once more wild waves of desire. He saw Rey's penis growing. His moaning was getting wilder and harsher, as Adam continued to thrust his fingers. Adam felt he couldn't hold himself any longer. He removed his two fingers from Rey's anus and licked them, savoring the strong taste it left in his mouth. God, he needed so much to taste him, give him pleasure. He bent down and took Rey in his mouth. He traced his tongue from the bottom to the top of his penis, feeling it twitch in excitement. He took it inside his mouth and licked its top with circular moves savoring the pre-cum. His tongue embraced it with wild and hard moves, as his hand traced their way to his testicles and found its way back to Rey's anus. Adam let it fill his mouth with its luscious taste. Rey's breathing became faster and harder, his body went completely numb. Adam's hot mouth taking his penis deep into his throat while his fingers worked madly his anus made him want to scream. He wanted this so much; his body was so much plunged into the lust his mind barely had the time to register the moment he came into Adams mouth letting a moan almost like a whimper.

Adam found there was nothing sexier than the soft moan Rey had left when he had come. The taste of his semen dripping into his mouth and the constant shivering of Rey's body of only made him hornier. He came up and kissed Rey deep, exchanging a passionate kiss, mingling their tongues, not allowing Rey the time to recover from the strong experience. His own body was shaking from the anticipation, from the yearning.

"I want you…" he managed to whisper, gasping vividly.

"Then be with me…be one with me" Rey answered back.

And he wanted it too.

Slowly, like slipping into a hot bath, he entered the beautiful Mexican body. To his surprise, Rey didn't stiffen. Yes, for him, this feeling was new. And there was pain, but it was sweet and welcome. He felt Adam inside him, his movements patient, careful, passionate, his breath hot and so flamboyant, his body rubbing against his own.

For Adam it was a moment of pure ecstasy. Being inside the man he loved secretly all those years, being engulfed by him, existing in that particular moment inside Rey, a warmth spreading in every inch of his body, it was the most amazing, exhilarating and rousing experience of his life. It was incredible. Despite Rey's small size, Adam felt completely dominated, consumed, enthralled; like a spell was put on him. With every passing second, he fell more and more under the small luchador's power and found himself unable to remove his gaze away from Rey's own dark chocolate eyes.

Rey moaned under the blond wrestler. He welcomed him inside him, the sweet pain at the beginning of their sexual union. His breath was rapid, short and passionate since he hadn't fully recovered from the orgasm a few moments ago. With every new thrust Adam gave, the burning in his stomach grew. He found himself loving this new feeling, wanting it more, wanting it faster and faster until his mind went numb. As the strikes of Adam became more rapid and more passionate, Rey couldn't control himself any more from the sheer pleasure he was receiving. He closed his eyes, arched his body back and let out primal scream of ecstasy.

At the same moment, Adam was reaching the highest point of their ecstatic joining. He saw Rey arching backwards and felt his hands gripping his waist, his nails sinking deep into his flesh showing him he wanted more. New waves of lust and passion surfaced and Adam began to move faster. He leaned over and let his body touch Rey's.

Their sweats mixed, their bodies rubbed together, their hands clasped.

Rey kissed Adam, and bit his lower lip. For the second time since the beginning of their love making, Rey felt he couldn't contain himself anymore. His cries became louder, almost animalistic, his grip tighter, his breathing faster. His kiss was more passionate this time, it was utterly dominant. He had claimed Adam for his own.

And that only made Adam thrust harder. Rey let out one more loud moan, followed by another and another.

Adam was so deep into their love; he existed solely in that moment, only for Rey. He looked again at the luchador, the way he trembled in his every movement, his moans. The violent kiss he had given him seconds before roused even more. Now hearing him moaning loudly, crying out, he took the initiative and made his movements faster and more violent.

That only made Rey cry out harder, moan more passionately and want more.

Their movements became one, their bodies united in this single moment in time, their souls touched…

Their sweats ran down, their hands joined, their lips touched and together, they let out a cry.

Waves of passion and ecstasy traveled through their bodies, as their union completed. Warmth spread inside Rey's body, chasing away the last ounces of pain and fear that existed before.

Adam shivered. He came hard inside Rey. His body arched, sending more shivers through his body, but not losing Rey's eyes for a single second. He wanted to get lost for ever into those deep dark eyes. He wanted to remember that look for as long as he lived.

For a few moments he stayed like this, immobile, above Rey, locked in the same position, like frozen in an everlasting embrace. Their dance had reached its end but neither wanted to be separated. So they stayed this way. Rey accepting, wanting Adam to stay inside him, keeping him safe, and loved. And Adam wished this moment never ended. He had no strength to pull himself away, he didn't want to. It felt warm. The emotion of love was still there, but there was also something else. His heart pounded harder, this time not from their intense lovemaking, but from the sight of Rey. He lifted his head and looked at the man below. He was just as flushed as him. Rey looked eagerly back at him. For the first time since he had seen him earlier tonight, Rey looked calm, peaceful and happy.

Rey closed slightly his big dark eyes and looked Adam.

Adam kissed them and then kissed his cheek and his lips.

Rey opened his mouth to speak but Adam stopped him.

"No…whatever it is that troubles you, you don't have to tell me if you don't wish to."

Rey's voice came out hoarse.

"Adam…I love you…" and clasped his face in his hands and pulled him down again to a long kiss.

Adam kissed him back. He got off Rey and lay to his side. He looked at the Latino next to him. He was calm and relaxed now. It was like all the fear and pain he had seen on the locker room was gone, like a bad dream.

Rey turned his head and looked at the wrestler lying close to his body. All he could manage was a soft smile. He had no strength to do anything else. Adam caressed his face and got out of bed deciding to take a shower.

When he got back, Rey was in deep sleep. He was lying on his side, having his naked tattooed back turned on Adam. He approached him silently and covered him with the soft hotel sheets. His family photo was thrown on the carpet near the feet of the bed. Adam picked it up and looked at it. At first sight, it was a regular family picture, with Angie sitting on the lawn having Dominic and Aaliyah close in a tight embrace. Taking a closer look, he noticed that she wasn't smiling and her eyes were somewhat angry. He set the picture with Rey's bag.

He looked again at the face of the small man. He was heavily sleeping and looked so cute lying like that immobile. The sound of his breath was for while the only thing that was heard inside the room. He went and laid down, taking him into his arms, holding him close, feeling himself very tired but very happy.

Outside, dark clouds gathered and hid the late night stars. A lightning lit up the sky revealing the grey clouds above the city, and a couple of seconds later a loud thunder cut the silence.

Rey startled, woke up, his body twitching from the sudden thunder. It was very late, or very early, depending on how one looked at the time. For one moment he couldn't gather his thoughts and come around. Where was he? Then he smiled turning his head and looking at Adam sleeping next to him.

Adam… his friend, his partner… and with a strange twist of ate, his lover. His long blond hair covered his serene face. The tranquility covering the sleeping man was in complete contrast with the wild extreme emotions burning inside Rey.

He got up and approached the window. Heavy rain was falling on the glass and the temperature outside had drop dramatically. How could he have so many different feelings inside, invading him all at once? He couldn't bare them all, it was too much to handle. With every breath he took, he felt different, opposite things. He felt so much love and so much hate, he felt wanted and abandoned, guilty and innocent, imprisoned and free. His breath became more rapid as he fought back the tears. The bad feelings were stronger and Adam was not awake to help him, pull him back to the surface.

A silent cry ripped his mind into pieces and burnt his heart down to ashes.

Adam was awoken by cold air. The room was freezing cold and he opened his eyes wondering where it was coming from. He didn't have to look much. The balcony window was wide open, letting cold air and rain come inside wetting the curtains and the thick carpet. Rey was not in bed and nowhere inside the room. Adam got up and put on his boxers.

"Oscar…" he cried out.

Then another lightning and a loud thunder showed him where his love was.

"Oh my god!" he whispered to himself…

Rey was standing outside on the balcony, naked, under the heavy cold winter rain. His hands were clasping the balcony railing tightly and he was shivering violently. Adam came closer to the balcony, his eyes sad and teary.

"Oscar" he said, but the rain covered his voice. So he yelled louder.

"Oscar… what are you doing?"

Rey didn't seem to pay attention to him. Adam stepped also out in the rain and approached closer. Only then did he see Rey's face. He was sobbing and the rain pouring down on him made him shiver. Another thunder pierced the night making the rain and the wind stronger. Adam touched Rey's shoulder. Rey turned and looked back. In his face was imprinted an expression of fear, of sadness… of guilt.

"Please Oscar come back inside. I beg you. Come out of the rain. You are going to freeze to death… please." And squeezed gently his shoulder.

Rey only looked back, crying. His tears mixed with raindrops and his fists still clinging to the railing. His breath was fast and the sobs more violent. Adam heard him mumble between his breathes

"Help me… I can't stand it any more…help me" and then letting go of the railing, he fainted.

Adam barely caught him preventing his head from smashing against the wet hard floor. He took him in is arms,

'Like a child' he thought,

and carried him inside the room.

Rey was unconscious, but his shivers had not died down at all. Adam put him down at the bed, took a dry towel and started to wipe down the rain. He covered him with a blanket trying to make the shivers disappear. But Rey couldn't stop shaking. He opened his eyes with much effort and the first thing he saw was two dark eyes filled with concern and sadness looking down at him.

Rey could not stop the new tears beginning to fill his own. Adam caressed his forehead and kissed his lips softly.

"You scared me you know… For a moment I thought you had gone mad… that you were going to jump, do something crazy… what were you thinking?"

Rey buried his face inside his hands and he began to sob.

"Adam… I am so sorry… so sorry."

"No my love, don't be… why are you crying? Please tell me for I can not bear to see you tormented like this. I see your tears running down and it tears my heart apart. I love you too god damn much to let you suffer. Please, Oscar, tell me what is making your heart bleed like this."

Rey lifted his head up. His sobbing had stopped but tears still burned his cheeks. He sat up and covered himself with the blanket, feeling the shivers growing. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

"It is because of them" he said and pointed at the photo of his family lying on top of his bag.

"What about them? Are they OK?"

"Two weeks ago Angie took the kids and left me."

Silence…

"Left you? I don't get it."

"Two weeks ago, I came home and found a note saying that she was leaving me. She had taken the kids with her… you can read the note yourself, I don't have the heart to tell you anymore… it is in the side pocket of my bag." And slid back into bed.

Adam looked perplexed. He took the folded note from the bag, opened it and began reading it silently.

"Rey,

If you are reading this note then it means that I have finally made up my mind to leave you. It's been a long time since I stopped loving you… how can I love you? You are a stranger in our home. The kids don't know who their father is anymore. All they see is this man on television, a stranger…

So I decided to go away and leave you to the thing you love most, your work. I left you for another man who loves us and most importantly is always there for us anytime we need him; for a man that is more than a voice on the telephone or a masked face on TV.

Will you really miss us?

We won't. You never gave us the chance to know you. I hope you have a nice life. Please try to forget us.

Angie"

Adam stood still at the back of the room reading the letter. So much bitterness and anger! It was not like the Angie he knew, even a little. The woman he knew was always smiling; she was friendly and loved Rey more than life itself. It just didn't make sense. He sat again by Rey and gave him the letter.

"I am sorry. I didn't know…"

Rey broke down in tears.

"So now you know. This is my big secret. No great mysteries, no enigmas… just this letter… and I don't know what I am doing anymore. The last few days, I do nothing but exist in an empty house, inside empty walls filled with things that remind me of them… and I don't know what to do… I am at a loss. I feel so many things at once. I felt anger, hatred, but those feelings went away. I can't hate them, they are my family… a part of myself… how can I hate them? They ARE me. I feel so alone, abandoned, so miserable without them! My life has no meaning anymore. Everything I did in my life, I did it because of them… and she knew it…she really fucking knew it…When I came to WWE, it was our decision… we made that decision together… why didn't she say anything then? God Adam…"

Adam just starred at him. He didn't know what to do when Rey continued to weep. He could only imagine what it would be like to feel so abandoned by your family. He took him in his arms and let the tears wet his chest.

"I feel so alone Adam…"

"No my love… you are not alone. Not anymore." Adam replied and stroke Rey's hair gently, squeezing him in his arms tighter.

"Don't let go… promise me that you won't let me go…"

"Never…" Adam said let a single tear run down his face. "I love you … I love you…"

Rey looked at him, his dark eyes red from the crying.

"I know… I think I am falling in love with you too. Does that make me a bad person? I mean, a few days ago my family left me, my kids are gone and here I am… making love to you… I feel guilty… Did I betray them?"

"No, no… don't say that again… ever… Oscar, our love has nothing to do with your family. It is a different thing, it is something new and it is normal to get mixed up. What we share doesn't mean that you are a bad person or that you don't love your family."

"I just don't want to see you go away too. I don't want to drive you away the way I did with them."

Adam clasped Rey's face and brought it close to his own.

"Oscar, I am going to tell you one thing, and I am going to say it only once. I am never going to leave you… never again… Don't you get it? I left Smackdown because I loved you. All this time away from you, you can't imagine how I suffered. At first I thought that being away from you would make me forget about you… but I didn't. I couldn't. But now, being here with you, I really don't know how I even survived without you. I love everything about you. I love your face, your dark eyes, your body, your heart, your beautiful mind… even your pain… everything that makes you who you are."

Rey hugged him tight. His embrace was so tight and full of love. Adam squeezed him back and closed his eyes, not wanting this moment to end. They were together.

Adam felt Rey shiver between his embrace.

"Oscar, are you feeling alright? Why are you still shivering so badly?"

"I don't… know… I can't stop…shaking… I am so… cold…."

Adam put his hand on Rey's forehead.

"My God Oscar, you have a fever. How long have you been standing in that rain? I thought by now you would know better than to stand naked out in the cold! What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't… I wanted the pain to go away… The only way I knew how to chase it away… was by inflicting another kind of pain… a stronger, physical pain…"

He got deeper under the covers and Adam put another blanket above him rubbing him to make him warmer.

"Is that some kind of new age logic or is it just an old Mexican traditional remedy?"

Rey actually smiled while his lips shook.

"Did it work at least?" he asked

"No" Rey replied his smile fading. He closed his eyes. "I can't stop shaking."

"What else do you feel?"

"My body hurts everywhere. My chest burns."

"You are sick. We can't stay like this and do nothing. I will go down at the reception and see if I can find something for the fever or a doctor. You stay here and wait for me alright?"

Rey shook his head keeping his eyes closed. His respiration was faster than before and his face was very pale. For a moment Adam saw his eyes. They glowed so bright from the fever and small red veins marked the white area surrounding his pupils. He kissed his forehead and left the room.

He went down at the reception. It was very late and only a sleepy clerk was behind the desk. He was in his late sixties, with short white hair and well trimmed beard, wearing a blue hotel outfit. Adam approached him silently.

"Good morning sir, how may I be of assistance?" he politely asked.

"Um… I have a friend upstairs in my room and he has a high fever. Is there a doctor in the hotel?"

"A doctor? No I don't think so. I am sorry. It is still very early. All we have available at the moment are some painkillers, but if his fever is that high then perhaps you should go to a hospital. Other than that, I can call for a doctor but this early I doubt that anyone will come before 8 in the morning."

Adam looked at his watch. Damn! It was still 4.30. He really didn't want to move Rey. The rain outside hadn't receded, in fact it was worse. He didn't know what to do. He hated to see his love suffer any more than he had to. But then again, maybe he should wait a little. Perhaps it was nothing to worry about. Perhaps the fever would go with a painkiller and some rest.

"Sir…should I call for a taxi?"

"Um… no. That won't be necessary. I will wait until morning. In the meantime, would you mind giving me that painkiller? Will it work against the fever?"

"Well it is just a painkiller, it is not much but it depends on the case. I will get it for you immediately."

He went at the back and a few moments later he returned with a small box of painkillers.

"Like I said, it is not much."

Adam started to leave when he heard the clerk asking

"Do you want me to check with you in the morning?"

"That won't be necessary, thank you. If by eight o'clock the fever is not down, I will call you here and see if we can find a doctor. I really don't want to move him with this weather, you know?"

"Certainly sir." He said professionally.

"Listen, Adam said and approached the reception again. I would appreciate it if this incident stayed between us. My friend is very vulnerable right now and the last thing we need is any publicity"

"No need to mention that again sir. This is not the first time we have special guests here at our hotel. "

"Perhaps in the morning a couple of guys might drop by. Let them up alright?"

"Yes sir… sir? Perhaps you and your friend would like something to eat? This painkiller shouldn't be taken with an empty stomach."

Adam smiled at the old man pleasantly surprised by his sincere and unexpected kindness.

"That would be very nice… thank you very much."

"I will go the kitchen and see if I can get you something."

Adam returned to his room. Rey was still in bed sleeping. Adam sat in a chair not wanting to disturb his friend. He needed the rest. Besides he would wait for some food to be brought up and after he would give him the pills.

Rey's sleep was restless. In his fever and the constant shivering, he kept mumbling words in Spanish that Adam could not understand. He was sure though that he heard his children names. He looked at the small Mexican shaking from the fever; he took his coat out from the closet and covered Rey with it. It was better than nothing… then he saw that even in his feverish and restless sleep, Rey was still crying. His fists had gripped the covers so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

Adam leaned over and kissed his forehead. He was surprised… his fever was getting worse.

He sat back at his chair waiting for the food to come… the silence inside the room and the rhythmic sound of the rain falling on the windows made him sleepy. He fought it for a while, realizing that he ought to stay awake, but after a while he unwillingly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He woke up by the distant sound of voices… there were people walking in the corridors outside the room. Adam popped quickly out of his chair anxious. He looked at the time…

'Fuck' he said to himself. It was already 7.00! He had fallen asleep!

'How could I have done such a thing?'

He turned and looked at Rey. His form was immobile in bed.

"Rey" he called out softly.

Rey didn't answer. He just laid there.

"Hey, wake up… come on wake up" he said again and put his hand on Rey's shoulder to wake him up.

As soon as he placed it there, he froze… Rey's body was so warm, it burned. He touched his face and he felt like he had put his hand in a fire. He ran into the bathroom, took a towel and soaked it with cold water.

"Come on Oscar, wake up. Open your eyes… look at me, please." He pleaded.

He put the wet towel on his forehead. He shook again, this time with more strength, but Rey didn't respond. Adam heard that his breath was coming out harder, almost asthmatic. His body was limp and his hands weren't clasping the covers any more.

He took a deep breath not wanting to panic. Maybe a cold shower would help again. But he crossed that thought. He didn't want to take any chances. He picked up the phone and called the reception. A young female voice answered,

"Good morning sir. How may I help you today?"

"Hello I am Adam Copeland. I am staying in room 309. Could you please call an ambulance? This is an emergency. Please hurry."

The woman was taken aback by this statement but then calmed down.

"Right away sir" she answered.

They hung up.

Adam looked back at Rey. He didn't know what to do. He cursed himself for falling asleep in that chair. If only he had acted sooner! That moment, his eyes fell on the small box of pills.

That clerk never came up! It was strange since he seemed almost eager to help out.

Adam didn't have the time to think about that now. For the first time in a long while, he felt scared, helpless. His heart was aching and new waves of fear crashed against his soul taking the form of warm salty tears. He sat in bed and took his love in his arms.

Rey's burning limp body held closely against his own. Adam's hands touched his love's chest, and slipped to the side of his heart.

"Please Oscar, please open your eyes. Stay with me…" he mumbled.

He had no idea how long he stayed like this, holding him in his arms. It seemed like hours but it was only a few minutes! Suddenly he realized that inside the room there was complete silence, not even the hard asthmatic breathing of the smaller man. Terrorized, he looked at his hands resting upon Rey's chest.

Rey wasn't breathing anymore.

"NO" he cried out and shook him. "NO"…

At that moment a knock was heard on the door.

"Mr. Copeland please open up. The paramedics are here."

Adam rushed to the door and opened.

"Please hurry… he… he stopped breathing."

Two male paramedics wearing green uniforms rushed inside towards the bed where Rey's body rested. Adam approached them. They had already put the oxygen mask and began CPR. One of them said:

"We must transport him to the hospital ASAP."

"What's wrong?" Adam asked but neither gave him a response.

They ignored him and just like that they put him on the stretcher.

"Where are you taking him? Which hospital?" Adam asked

"St Joseph County general" one of them cried out as they took Rey outside the room.

"Can I come with you?"

"I am afraid it is not possible. Only members of his family are allowed." the older from the two men stated.

They entered the elevator and left leaving Adam numb and speechless in front of his bedroom door. For a second his mind went completely blank. The distant sound of a door closing woke him up. He hurried inside the room, got dressed, grabbed his car keys and left running.

The road to the hospital seemed endless. It was morning and in every street Adam turned there was a huge traffic jam. Finally after one hour, he arrived at the hospital.

The Emergency Room was so crowded, that it took him a few seconds to find his way to the reception. A young Chinese nurse was there talking with a doctor when Adam came to her and interrupted.

"Hello, excuse me miss…"

The Chinese woman looked at him and smiled.

"Yes…"

"I am looking for my friend. The paramedics told me that he would be transported here. He had very high fever and this morning he stopped breathing. His name is Oscar Guttierrez; he is about 5.3' and 165 pounds…"

"Yes, he is the examine room with the doctors. You have to wait until they come out. Are you a member of his family?" she asked hesitantly.

Adam looked at her and responded somewhat quietly.

"No, but right now I am the closest person he has to a family."

"If there is someone you can contact that is in fact a real member of his family please contact them."

Adam sat down at the waiting lounge for a few minutes. He tried to think of someone to call… but who? No one came to mind. Rey's family had left him and his parents where too far away in Mexico. Besides he didn't know their number.

'I should call someone… Billy? Or perhaps Eddie?' he thought. 'Shit' not knowing what to do. He decided to call Eddie. After all, he would tell the news to those who cared for Rey.

He soon found a pay phone and asked the operator to connect him with the Embassy hotel, where the Smackdown wrestlers were staying. A soft gentle female voice answered on the line.

"Embassy hotel good morning"

"Hello, could you please connect me to Mr Guerrero's room."

"I am sorry, it is not permitted."

"Listen, my name is Adam Copeland. He knows me. Tell him it is an emergency."

"Please sir I told you, I can not…"

"No, listen, he interrupted. Just call him and tell him who I am. Tell him something happened to Oscar. Just tell him that. If he doesn't want to speak to me then, that's fine but please hurry."

She hesitated but a few seconds later, he heard Eddie's voice on the other line.

"Adam? Is that you? What happened to Rey?"

"Eddie, you have to come to St Joseph hospital. Rey is here. Last night he had high fever and this morning… he stopped breathing…"

"I'll be right there" and hung up.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there alone. There were other people also waiting for the doctors to come about their own friends and relatives. A doctor came inside, and everyone just turned and looked at him straight in the eyes silently.

"Is there someone here for Mr Oscar Guttierrez?"

Adam stood up and approached the doctor.

"I am here, but I am not a relative. Oscar is my friend. His family is not coming I'm afraid."

The doctor sighed and taking him a little further from the waiting lounge, he started.

"Mr Guttierrez is in serious condition. He was transported here in a comatose state due to an unusual form of pneumonia. We managed to stabilise him. He hasn't woken up from the coma yet and his condition is critical."

"When you say unusual, what do you mean?"

"Well… there was a lot of damage done inside his respiratory system. The unusual part is the extension of the damage. I have seen that only in patients with a long term respiratory problems or pneumonia, and when I say long term, I am talking in years."

"No Oscar has never had any such problem… never before. What can we do?"

"I have to keep him here for treatment and observation. He might be stabilised, but he is still in a coma. Until he wakes up, I can not let you see him. His immune system is down and it is sensitive if exposed to other organisms."

"Doctor, would it have made any difference if I had brought him sooner?"

"I really can't say. The development of the sickness was so rapid I doubt anyone could have predicted its course. He will be transported in the Intensive Care Unit on the second floor. I suggest you go there. You will be able to see him there even if it is from outside the room."

Adam stuck around for a while and waited for the others to come, but he couldn't wait too long. He went on the second floor and searched for Rey's room. When he found it, he was unable to move closer to the window and look inside. His body didn't obey to his will. His mind was telling him to stop feeling guilty, but as soon as he found the courage to glance inside the room, his heart shattered into a million pieces.

Rey was inside a dark lit room, with tubes hanging from his veins and a respirator helping him breathe. He looked so pale and so thin and…

'So alone…'

Adam hated to see him alone. He felt a small pinch in his heart, almost like a small internal voice, a soft whisper. Looking at him lying like that, he knew that his love was scared. He was afraid, lying there alone, afraid of the darkness surrounding him on the inside of his soul and on the outside. Adam couldn't understand how he felt those things. He just knew Rey was feeling those terrible things. He couldn't understand how he knew, but he embraced them, accepted them inside his heart and soul as his own. He felt it was the least he could do for Rey, for his love, his soul mate.

Yes, that is how he felt. Like their souls were the two halves of one. He understood that Rey would not blame him for this; he loved him too damn much.

A faint smile formed on his lips as he continued to stare inside to the small figure on the bed. He could not stop looking at the respirator, going up and down, indicating the rhythm of Rey's breathing. He prayed it wouldn't stop.

Adam knew the pain Rey was in. How much energy and force every inhalation and exhalation consumed from him, how everything inside his body and his mind hurt. A tear rolled down his cheek and he soon whipped it with the back of his hand.

He touched the window with his palm.

"I love you. Come back to me."

Adam saw Eddie and Rob Van Dam walking out from the elevator.

"How is he?" Rob asked

"He is inside the room, but we can not enter" he said. It took him a while to explain what the doctor had told him.

"How did this happen? I mean yesterday he seemed fine." Eddie asked looking Adam in the eye.

Adam didn't respond immediately. He wondered if he should tell them everything that had happened in his room earlier.

"Tonight when I saw him, he seemed a bit strange, he began. It wasn't the match but something else. I asked Kidman about it, but he knew nothing. I could see Rey was tired and…"

"And what? Come on man don't hide anything. Rey is like a brother to us" Eddie pressured seeing Edge falter.

"I thought he was scared of something. I took him to my hotel thinking I could have him talk to me about it…and he did."

"And?" Rob asked anxiously.

"Angie took the kids and left him. She also left him a goodbye letter dripping with poison. She left him for another man saying she didn't love him and that neither she nor the kids would really miss him…"

Eddie and Rob were speechless and just blinked, looking at Edge and each other. He wasn't looking at them anymore. He had kept part of the truth out. They didn't need to know about it now; he wanted to keep their moment together for himself. He needed at least that, he owed it to Rey. He wasn't sure if they would understand anyway. Eddie's voice woke him up from his distant thoughts.

"Say again? Angie left him?"

Adam nodded.

"He showed me her letter. He was a wreck. He had hardly eaten or slept since that day… so I put him to sleep. I was awoken by a cold breeze inside the room. I searched for Rey and found him outside, on the balcony. He was standing in the rain for god knows how long, shivering from the cold and crying like baby. I took him inside but I think by that time it was too late. He already had a high fever. I waited since this morning but when I saw that it didn't drop, I called an ambulance…"

"Why didn't he say anything before? We are his friends; we would have understood… we would have done something…" Rob wondered almost to himself.

They approached the room window. Eddie looked inside. He felt so sad watching his dear friend helpless and connected to those machines. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the window whispering

"Oh Oscar… por que mi hermano?"

Eddie having lost his family once in the past understood the pain it caused. It was a pain he didn't wish for anyone, not even his enemies. The feeling of loneliness was unbearable, mind shattering. He remembered how hard it was for him. If it hadn't been for his friends, friends like Rey and Chris Benoit Eddie would have perished maybe died. He really wished there was something he could have done for his dear friend, for his 'little brother' as he liked to call him. Like Adam, he wanted to go inside and be there for him, help him, support him. But he couldn't. All he could do was pray.

And he did it, silently.

Adam sat in a chair a few feet away from the room. He felt exhausted. Rob came up to him and asked:

"Does anybody know about Rey?"

"I don't think so."

"I will go and notify Theodore, Vince and the rest about it. I suppose he won't be coming back for a while."

He left to find a pay phone. Adam closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall. He heard Eddie's voice.

"There is one thing I don't understand in all this…"

Adam opened his eyes and looked at Eddie facing him.

"He hasn't seen you for a really long time. Rob and I are like brothers to him. Billy is there too. We are with him every single day, we work together, we train together, we are his family… "

Adam felt a knot forming to his stomach and rising to his neck. He knew what was coming up next.

"So why did he open up to you? Why not us?"

Adam felt his body numb.

"Um well… sometimes it is hard to talk about your personal life with your family…"

But Eddie didn't buy that. And when Adam didn't look at him in the eye, Eddie realized there was more than the Canadian admitted. He grabbed him by the arm and made him look at him.

"Don't lie to me esse. Not about this, not about Rey."

"I can't tell you… because I am afraid what it might do to Rey. I am afraid what it really means for him."

Eddie sat next to him silently, letting him continue.

"Something else happened last night, something I would rather have nobody else know about… and Eddie, I mean nobody"

Silence

"Rey and I… we… we made love."

He stopped. Waited for the Latino Heat explode to his face. Eddie didn't say anything. He was too surprised by the facts to react. Adam continued.

"It was something we both wanted… something neither of us had planned…"

"You idiot!" finally Eddie exploded raising his voice dangerously. "You made things worse. I don't believe it… Rey is a mess and you take advantage of his frailty in order to sleep with him. Do you know how much this has confused him?"

"Eddie calm down… I didn't know about it. He told me after we made love. If I knew before, then I wouldn't have done anything. Don't you think it kills me too to even think about it? I love Rey, more than life itself, Eddie… and I am so sorry…" he broke down. He hid his face in his hands sobbing quietly. "I am so sorry…"

Eddie hadn't realized until now how much Edge cared for the small Mexican. Seeing him cry like a baby broke his heart. He hugged him.

"I know esse… I didn't mean anything by it. I am sorry to accuse you. We all love Rey. Let's just help him get through this. We have to be strong for him, to bring him back to us… de acuerdo?"

Two sets of eyes looked at the two wrestlers from a distance. They stood in a dark room and nobody else could see who they were. They spoke quietly. One of them, with a soft almost musical voice asked

"Is it time?"

The answering voice was old, hoarse, low and angry.

"Soon. Tell the others to prepare. Our chance will come soon. We must be ready to take it."

"Why don't we do it now? He is weak, he is an easy target."

The older man grabbed him forcefully from the neck.

"Because I say so, because it is MY plan and because he is of no use to us dead. If we take him now, he will die on us… and he is not worth anything to me dead. I want him alive… I NEED him alive."

He let him go. The younger man took a step back inside the room. His short blond hair was hidden under a green nurse's cap. He looked at the older man standing still next to the door. Even after all this time, the older man scared him some times. He was huge, well built and his white hair and well trimmed beard was a complete contrast with his dark black suit. His pale complexion was anaemic but the younger man was never fooled by it.

"Step away from the window… they will see you." He advised but the older man didn't flinch.

"Why do you want him anyway? Money?" he asked hesitantly.

The older man turned around. His grey eyes pierced him. He smiled evilly and licked his dry lips. His hands were clasped behind his back. He took a step towards the younger man as he backed one step.

"No… now go and tell the others to start preparing."

Hours passed by, and Rey's condition hadn't changed.

The hours turned to days. His health improved slowly but steadily. Rey hadn't regained his consciousness. Adam barely moved from the hospital ad Rey's side, so did Eddie. They had agreed to keep the story secret for now. It wasn't Eddie's business, he admitted.

People came to visit but nobody was still allowed inside. Almost every Smackdown wrestler came or called to show their support, even the Big Show. Adam was especially touched by Kurt. He had come one afternoon with a bunch of red roses almost teary. He was uncomfortable holding them, and he certainly wasn't prepared for the site of Rey connected to all those tubes and weird beeping machines. Eddie saw that he would brake into tears and decided to lighten up the air.

"Hey esse… are you going on a date?"

Kurt gave him a "what?" look. Eddie pointed the flowers.

"I know they are not allowed. I brought them anyway… I am not that stupid!" He said ironically.

It was obvious; the air could not lighten up at all.

"So how is he?"

Eddie lifted up his shoulders to show that he didn't really know.

"The doctor said he is getting better… it is hard to believe it though with all these things in that room." Eddie looked at Kurt standing in front of the door window looking inside intensely. "It is nice of you to come. Rey would have liked that… even the roses."

"I can only imagine what he is going through!"

"You have no idea." Adam said and left the two alone in the corridor. He couldn't stand anymore to see the pity in their eyes. Rey was lucky not to see them. He sure didn't need this on top.

"What's up with him?" Kurt asked perplexed.

"Let's just say, he feels a bit responsible. Rey was with him when he fell sick…"

Kurt sat with Eddie, still holding the roses.

"Thanks for coming" Eddie said again.

Kurt only put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.

One week later from that fateful night, a nurse came early and woke up the two sleeping wrestlers in the lounge.

"Excuse me sirs…"

They both stood up anxious.

"We have removed the respirator form Mr Guttierrez. You can go see him if you wish but only for a little while and only one at a time. He is still very weak."

"Is he awake?" Eddie asked.

"Yes"

Adam felt that knot rising again to his neck. He looked at Eddie.

"You go first" Adam said.

Eddie walked inside the room. Rey had his eyes still closed but Eddie still smiled. He looked a little better, although his colour was still very pale. It was nice to see him without the respirator. He came closer to the bed. Rey opened his dark brown eyes and looked at him. He managed to smile faintly.

"Hey…" he whispered, his voice coming out croaky.

"Hey raton poderoso (mighty mouse)!" Eddie gave him his classic Latino Lover smile. "What's up? How are you feeling?"

Rey opened his mouth to speak, but an ugly cough came out instead.

"Hey don't speak man…" he said caressing his front. "Is there something you need?"

Rey managed to calm down and suppress his cough. He looked towards the door as if looking for something. Eddie understood what his friend was searching.

"He is right outside. He hasn't left your side… he flew to New Jersey for Raw and came back the same night… You know… he feels guilty"

Rey frowned to show his surprise. Eddie had taken him by surprise. He didn't expect waking up to find Eddie knowing about him and Edge.

"Don't worry… I know my place… nobody else knows… I will go get him. Take it easy my brother…"

He kissed his forehead and exited the room.

Adam stood a few feet away, his head bent down. He saw Eddie come out nodding at him, urging him to go inside. He took a deep breath.

He opened the door and stuck his head inside. Rey's eyes shone at his sight. Adam came inside and sat beside Rey. He caressed his cheek, then bent over and kissed his lips. They were dry and Rey welcomed the kiss. He felt like a man tasting water for the first time after spending days in the desert. Adam's lips tasted good and his cool hands were refreshing to his burning body.

"Adam… I am sorry." He articulated roughly.

"What for?"

"For doing this to you."

"Don't say such things… please… you should know by now how much I love you. I am the one who should be asking your forgiveness. I never meant to harm you or confuse you in any way." Adam said, Eddie's words coming to mind.

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to be sure that this is what you want. Oscar… I love you with every fibber of my existence, with every breath I take. But I want you to be sure that US is really what you want. If you wish some time alone, away from me and all of this, to think things through, to think about your family and us… I will understand… I will wait for you. We don't have to rush into anything you are not ready for."

Rey lifted his hand with the little strength he had in him, and brought it up to Edge's face. He touched his thin face and the strands of hair that fell to his shoulders.

"Do you know what it feels like when you are in a coma? It feels like sleeping, like dreaming… do you know what I dreamt about?"

"What?" Adam asked tearfully.

"You" he said, his eyes starring in Adam's. "Nobody else but you. That is how I knew. That is how I know. I am still in pain for her and my children, I still hurt inside. But now there is another person there for me, someone I care deeply about… someone I am falling in love with…"

Adam smiled. Rey looked tired.

"Go to sleep Oscar. You need all the rest you can get. We'll talk again tomorrow. The doctors might let your fellow thugs visit you."

Rey laughed but it pained him to do so. Adam kissed him on the lips, slowly deepening his kiss and letting his tongue mix with Rey's. Even at his condition, Adam still felt the excitement in his stomach lowering down to his groin. Their kiss became more passionate and Adam barely found the strength to cut it off.

"I should let to your beauty sleep."

He turned to leave, when he heard Rey speak.

"Thanks…"

"For what?"

"For not letting go…"

"I will never let you go… ever… not even when your mouth tastes ammonia…"

Rey laughed, his eyes shining.

"See you when you wake up my 'King of Mystery'!"

Eddie was sitting in the chairs outside the room waiting for Edge to come out. Looking at the Canadian's smile once he exited the room, he knew everything was fine, considering.

"How is he?"

"He… he still hurts, but he should be able to recover with a little help form his friends."

"Come on, let's go get some rest. Rob is here. He will stay with rey rey!"

They left as soon as Rob appeared.

Rob wanted to go inside and talk to Rey but seeing that he was sleeping, he decided to grab a chair and sit at the far corner of the room, and not disturb him.

"What now?" the blond nurse asked the older man. They stood again in the same dark hospital room. "He is never going to be left alone now. There is always someone there with him. He has many friends…"

"Don't worry, Jason. He will eventually stay alone. Besides, it is because he has so many friends, my plan will be sweeter." The older man looked behind him at the young nurse who answered to the name Jason. "I want pain not only for him, but also for the others, especially for Mr. Copeland. Their pain will be a little different in nature…" and turned his gaze back outside at the empty corridor.

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Copeland will come to know that to love, means to suffer… the other one however… oh yes…the other one…"

"What about the other one?"

"The other one is a different story. That one is so beautiful, he is made to suffer… he is made for pain… that one is mine…"

"I called the others and told them to prepare. When will we proceed?"

"When is he to be released?"

"The doctor doesn't know yet. He said within two weeks probably."

"Keep a closer look on Mr. Guttierrez. Tell them we will proceed sooner than planned. I want him to be in perfect condition. I want all the pleasure for me. Go now. You know what to do."

Jason left the room, his lips forming a faint smile. True, the old man gave him the creeps and he was scared of him. He had seen him in past do some unspeakable things, and he could only imagine what he would do to these people… his smile grew wider… besides, he himself was not much different than the old man… he would have some fun too with the sexy Latino when the time would come.

For now he had a job to do.

Adam came back to the hospital a few hours later. He was unable to sleep again in that same hotel room. Rey's things were there, along with that damn letter and his family photo. He packed everything in the bag and brought it to the hospital.

Rob was inside the room, asleep snoring in a chair while Rey was awake.

Adam went inside amazed by Rob's noise. He smiled evilly looking Rey. He walked over to Rob and used his fingers to close his nose. Rob continued to sleep for a few seconds only to find himself unable to breathe normally. He woke up violently, shaking himself…

"Wow…, Adam began, when I heard a noise from outside, I could have sworn that the midnight express was passing right through Rey's room… now I know! Remind me never to share a room with you… man, your snoring is loud enough to wake the dead or kill the living!"

Rey laughed at Rob's expression. He was surprised, a bit startled and angry! He looked at Adam and was ready to jump at him but when he remembered where he was, he contained himself. Adam, seeing the amused Rey, took the chance and continued.

"You are supposed to be looking after him, not keeping him awake."

"I don't snore…" Rob protested.

"Oh really?" Adam said lifting his eyebrow imitating the Rock. "You should have heard yourself then. From a distance you sounded like you were fighting with a lion! Rey here can tell you."

Rey smiled.

"Did you kill the lion then Rob?" Rey asked weakly.

"Right…keep laughing at my expense then…, he smiled himself. At least I made you laugh."

"True!" Adam noted.

"I am just glad it wasn't Rikishi here snoring!" Rey said smiling again.

"Or worse, the Big Show! I shared his room one time… man, I was scared! The room shook like the LA earthquake! I am telling you… never AGAIN"

"Which brings to mind, Adam said turning to Rey. A lot of people came to visit while you were taking your beauty sleep the last few days. Kurt came too and brought some flowers."

"So where are they?"

"You weren't allowed any flowers or visitors, so he gave them to the nurses who looked after you… One of them fell in love with him… You can't imagine what happened next… Eddie didn't let it just pass by without a comment. He will never hear the end of it form the others!"

"Precious!" Rob commented. "His face becomes red like his shorts!"

Rey laughed. A violent cough rose to his neck…

"Stop making me laugh…." He choked.

Then the uncomfortable silence came. Rob approached Rey seriously.

"Rey you scared us bro… don't do that again OK?"

"I'm sorry…" he apologised.

"I didn't tell you this to hear your apologies… but because I care. You are not alone! There are a lot of people who love you rey rey! Now I will leave you two. My shift is over…, he smiled comically. I will see you soon…"

Adam was left alone with Rey… he was silent for a while. He saw immediately that Rey's face became very serious. There was no sign of a smile or happiness anymore. Pain had taken again its rightful place in Rey's heart.

"Were you faking it?" Adam asked

"What?"

"I asked if you were just faking your laughter with Rob!"

Rey lowered his gaze away from Adam.

"No… he whispered. It is just…" he hesitated.

"What?" Adam sat on the bed.

"I can't forget them."

"Nobody said you have to. They are a part of you. They will always be. They are part of what makes you who you are."

"But it hurts to think them away from me. It hurts me to know they don't love me."

"Hey… don't say that. Just because Angie wrote that in a letter, that doesn't mean that your children don't love you. She might not love you anymore, but your kids do. They will always love you because you are their father no matter what. OK?"

Rey nodded.

"Please do me a favour. Get rid of that letter for me will you?"

"Do you really want to do that?"

"Yes, I do. It only brings bad memories."

"So how do you feel today?" he tried to lighten up the atmosphere. "Did you get any rest or did the elephant man kept you awake?"

Rey yawned rubbing his eyes.

"I see! I will leave you then to rest."

"Adam… don't go… stay with me." He said grabbing his hand.

"Ok… whatever my king wishes!" He smiled.

Rey closed his eyes and almost immediately fell asleep. Adam brought the chair next to the bed and sat there looking at the small lump inside the covers. His breathing was still a little hard and his colour was still pale, but the respirator was not there only an oxygen mask was hanging above the bed. Some tubes were still connected to Rey's veins, but fortunately the beeping and weird respiratory sounds had stopped; he could only hear the sound of Rey sleeping peacefully. Inside the room, there was a comfortably sleepy heat. The lights were dim and soon Adam began yawning too. The last week was exhausting for him. He had to leave three days ago and fly for a Raw show and fly back here the same night. He barely had any sleep at all, but he had no regrets. He was happy to be here with Rey, this unique person, his soul mate, the other half of his heart. He would rather be nowhere else in the entire world. Looking at the sleeping man made him sigh and smile. Yes, he was happy because he knew that Rey loved him too. He leaned over and kissed Rey's lips. From amidst his dreams, Rey smiled back.

Outside the room, Jason was struck with surprise. He didn't expect to see that… he never would have suspected it. He knew how mad the old man would be… and deep inside he smiled, his black heart rejoiced. The old man didn't like to share his possessions.

He marched away into the bathroom, took out his cell phone and dialled. The spooky old voice answered.

"Yes Jason!"

"Well, sir… I just found out something that puts another spin to our plan."

"For the best I hope. Tell me."

"I found out that Mr Copeland has a very intimate relationship with our subject"

No one answered on the other side of the line. Jason continued.

"And when I say intimate, I mean sexual… I saw them kissing… sir? Are you there? How do you want to proceed?"

"Call the others and have them come downtown tonight. We will move ahead with our plan."

"Shall I prepare our patient for the transportation?"

"Yes. Bring Mr. Guttierrez to the cabin unharmed and unspoiled. I will wait for you there."

"Sir, do you want to proceed also with Mr. Copeland as planned?"

"Yes."

They hung up. Jason was inside the men's room, alone. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled, pleased with himself. The perspective of what would follow roused him. He licked his dry lips. He would have to be patient. It was still early. They would have to wait until nightfall to go ahead. For now he had a phone call to make to the animals, as he liked to call them, and a few minor bureaucratic details to forge.

Rey woke up late that evening. Adam was awake and reading a magazine.

"Hi!" he whispered. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes. Did you stay here all this time?"

"Well… yes. To tell the truth, I dozed off for a couple of hours but woke up from the incessant noise of my stomach complaining! Are you hungry?"

"Not really… I am thirsty."

Adam gave him some water.

"Adam, go home and sleep. You look worse than I do."

"Now that is a scary thought! Nah… I am fine. You look a little better though but still need a little work."

There was a knock on the door. A young blond nurse entered the room.

"Sorry to interrupt you. I need to take Mr. Guttierrez for some tests. They might take a while, but you can wait here."

Adam was nervous. The nurse had found them in a somewhat compromising position since Adam was a little closer to Rey's face than a simple friend would have normally been. He wasn't sure if Rey or himself wanted every one else to know about their relationship. It wasn't wise from their careers' point of view either. So when the nurse came in and gave them a bizarre smile, Adam took a step away from the bed nervously.

Rey had a little difficulty getting up sitting down of the wheelchair but the nurse seemed strong enough to lift the wrestler.

He gave the blond wrestler the peace sign and smiled as happily as he could.

"See ya later"

Adam saw them disappear behind the door. He wasn't sure if it would be wise to hang around, so he decided to wait outside the room.

Rey was pushed in a wheelchair into the elevator. The nurse looked awfully young and muscular but then again Rey had seen weirder things. The nurse pushed the silver button with the indication -2 and came behind the wheelchair. They stopped on the ground floor. An old couple asked if they were going up, but the nurse told them that they were heading down on and advised them to take the next elevator or the one across the corridor. The doors closed and Rey suddenly had a bad feeling. He turned his head to look at the nurse one more time. There was something wrong with him; he just couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"What tests I am doing?"

The nurse didn't answer. He grabbed Rey behind from the neck. He felt the air in his already weakened lungs leaving. He brought his hands up to loosen up the grip that was choking the life out of him. He struggled to release the noose and take a gulp of air when he felt something sticking him at the back of his neck. The needle pierced his skin and the translucent liquid penetrated into his system. Rey managed to scream only once. Then his eyesight became a blur. He blinked a few times, but it didn't get any better. The nurse's breath stinking of cigarettes invaded his nostrils as he approached his ear whispering.

"Sshhh… don't fight it… you're gonna need your strength for later."

He felt his tongue licking his ear and ran across his cheek. The hands around his neck didn't loosen up. Rey felt loosing control of his motor functions, his eyesight was becoming as dark as the starless night and he couldn't react when the nurse slipped his tongue in his mouth into a long morbid kiss. His hands fell limp and he was almost grateful to feel at last his consciousness abandoning him. At this time of need, even at this weakened state, only one person came to his mind.

Adam.

The last thing he heard was the sound of the elevator doors open.

Finally darkness.

Finally… Sweet slumber!

Jason looked at the helpless body of his victim on the wheelchair. He smiled. He pushed it outside in a hurry and turned left. He was in the hospital's garage, for staff use only and it was mostly deserted, since it was pretty late. There was a black van parked a few feet away. On the side, the white letters read "Fleur de Lys – Flower Supplier". He knocked on the side three times. The side door opened and a white man appeared. He wore grey overalls and a name tag 'Henry'. His hoarse voice echoed inside the parking concrete walls.

"You are late"

Jason frowned in anger.

"Just help me load him up"

"Is everything in order?" a second voice from the driver's seat asked.

The two men froze for a second to the sound of Anderson's bass voice. The black man was 7 feet tall and weighted 450 pounds, all of which were muscles. Jason swallowed hard.

"Of course Andy." He responded nervously.

"Then get on with it."

The two other men nodded to the black man's authority. Jason however promised himself that he would have his fun; after the old man had his ways with the small Mexican… it really was something to look forward to. They put Rey inside the van, closed the door and drove off unnoticed.


	2. Chapter 2

He twiddled the coffee cup in his hands for a while. Two hours passed and he was really bored. The nurse hadn't brought Rey back and he figured it was getting late for tests. He decided to go ask somebody, but then he saw Eddie and Kurt coming out form the elevator.

"Hey." Kurt eloquently greeted.

"You're still here esse? Where's mighty mouse?"

"The nurse took him for some tests but he hasn't come back."

"It is a little late for tests don't you think?"

They looked at Kurt agreeing with his remark.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to ask!" Eddie pointed out.

All three wrestlers walked to the reception taking the right corridor, towards the east end of the wing.

"Excuse me miss?" Eddie asked the middle aged nurse who was sitting behind the desk, filling out some papers. She lifted up her gaze and looked at the Latino smiling at her. Her glasses, hooked by a gold chain, stood at the tip of her nose making Eddie's smile wider.

"Can I help you?" she asked, just lifting her eyes upwards, her face not twitching one bit at the sight of the Latino's big smile.

"A couple of hours ago, Mr. Guttierrez was taken for some tests. We were wondering when he will be back."

The nurse sighed. She sighed one second time and rummaged through some papers lying to her left.

"Mr. Oscar Guttierrez? He was not scheduled for testing."

Adam approached the desk.

"No, no. A nurse came and took him for some testing."

"I don't know what you are talking about. Mr. Guttierrez was not scheduled for testing today."

Kurt from a distance thought out loud.

"Was?"

Before the others had time to process his words, the nurse picked up the phone and made a phone call. She waved them to be silent and wait for her to finish it, before she could answer them. A few moments later, she hung up a little surprised.

"Well, I remembered correctly. It appears that Mr. Guttierrez was checked out a couple of hours against doctors' orders…"

"Checked out? By whom?" Adam asked.

"His wife. She came and checked him out. I called downstairs and they looked it up. Mrs. Angie Guttierrez came and signed his papers."

"Then who was that man who took him for tests?" Adam asked raising his voice to the nurse.

"Please don't raise your voice. This is a hospital, and it is late. I suggest you go and ask downstairs at the appropriate desk. I can not help you any further."

Eddie and Kurt removed him away form the desk and lead him back to Rey's empty room. Kurt was perplexed because he couldn't figure out what was going on. Inside the room, he tried to calm down the two wrestlers who hadn't said a word since. They looked like two wild animals ready to attack the first victim who dared approach them. Kurt knew better than to speak, but in his mind, time was important. He broke the silence.

"You guys, what just happened out there? Why the fuss? All we have to do is call Angie and ask her, right?"

The two other wrestlers looked Kurt in anger. But they understood Kurt's remark. He didn't have the whole facts. Eddie and Edge had agreed to keep a little detail between them, but it was becoming more and more apparent that they couldn't keep this any longer a secret. Nobody else knew about Rey's family. Edge nodded at Eddie agreeing silently to fill Kurt in. When Eddie nodded back, Edge took Kurt by the arm and sat him on the bed.

"Kurt, listen to me. This is serious. Angie could not have checked Rey out."

"Why not?"

"Because she has left Rey. She has abandoned him taking the kids with her. I still have the letter, although Rey told me to get rid of it. I am just glad I didn't have the time to do it. We might need it. That's what's eating him all this time."

"I can't believe it." He looked so surprised! His mind just couldn't accept it. "But I have met Angie. She loves Rey so much… and the kids… everything he does is for them… everything… my god" he stopped his words. "This must be killing him."

Eddie laughed bitterly looking outside the window.

"It almost did Kurt… it almost did."

"You mean his hospitalisation has something to do with his family?"

"Edge knows best… don't you?" Eddie asked, his voice somewhat accusing him of something.

Adam got up from the bed.

"If you have something to say, say it straight to my face, like a man. Don't dance around it. You think I have something to do with Rey's condition? You think it is my fault, don't you?"

He took a step closer to Eddie, who was only starring back in anger.

"You guys, come on! What's your problem?" Kurt tried to come between them.

"I am only saying, everything that has happened to him, took place after he came to you for consolation. If you loved him as much as you claim, then none of this would have happened. He would still be safe and sound." Eddie yelled, bringing his face a few inches away from Adam's.

Kurt got between them and tried to remove Adam back to the other side of the room. But the blond man was stronger than Kurt. As soon as Eddie finished his accusation, Adam exploded.

"You fuck! Don't you dare accuse me of anything! What happened between me and Rey is the only thing that kept him from going insane, and it has nothing to do with his family. I didn't push him into any kind of relationship. He is a grown man, capable of making his own decisions. You of all people should know that!"

Kurt was struck with Adam's final involuntary revelation but didn't relax his grip on him. Adam was pushing him away trying to come closer to Eddie. He waved his arms towards him, speaking louder and louder, and Kurt knew that if he let him go, he would hit Eddie. Eddie's face was another story. He had regretted his words the minute they had come out. The sudden news had caught him off guard. All of them. They didn't know how to react or what to do next. Seeing Adam relaxing a little and the uncomfortable silence falling again in the room, he let him go and sat back on the bed rubbing his face.

"Adam… what you said… about having a relationship with Rey… what did you mean by that?"

"I guess there is no point in hiding it any more… not from you anyway…"

Silence.

"What?" Kurt asked impatiently.

Adam gave a desperate look to Eddie, who was intensely looking back and gave back a slight nod.

"Kurt, you have to understand that what happened between me and Rey was… well…" he mumbled.

"Just tell him esse…"

"Me and Rey… we are together… we spend the night together."

Kurt didn't understand at first what he was told. A few moments later, realizing he had actually heard that Adam and Rey had had sex a few night ago, his eyes goggled with surprise.

"We have to do something. Find out what happened. Maybe… Angie did come… or someone else from his family."

"Nobody came Eddie. I was here all the time… nobody came." Adam exploded.

Kurt raised his voice, covering Adam's and keeping him in control.

"We don't know that. Please calm down… BOTH OF YOU."

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. All three men turned their gaze towards the nurse who came inside. It was the same woman they had met at the desk.

"A courier just came for Mr. Adam Copeland. They left a letter on my desk. Would that be you sir?" she asked looking at Kurt.

"No that's me" and took the letter from the nurse's extended hand. She sighed boringly and closed the door behind her, leaving them alone again. Adam looked at the white envelope addressed to "Mr Copeland Adam-St Joseph County general Hospital- Room 205". He turned it around looking for a sender, but there was nothing else written on it. All three gathered around. Adam had a bad feeling about it. He opened it and took out a folded piece of yellow paper. He unfolded it and started reading out loud the few lines typed neatly in the middle.

"_The day is lost only when blood rains from heaven._

_Blood shall flow in rivers of pain from my brethren._

_An angel's wings cut down from the sorrow._

_And for the dreams of the mad, no tomorrow."_

Kurt was the first one to lift up his head and look at the others puzzled.

"What is that supposed to mean? I don't get it. Is it someone's idea of a joke?"

Eddie lifted his shoulders up showing that he had no clue either. Adam kept reading it over and over in silence. The two looked at him. His face was twisted with amazement and disgust. Only he knew how fast his heart was beating, how much sadness these few lines were filling him… the memories it brought back were strong enough to break him. He found his hands trembling. But he couldn't be sure of anything. All he understood were those four lines; all he could remember were these words.

"Adam?" Kurt asked. "What's the matter?"

"I am not sure…" he whispered still holding the poem tightly in is hands. "This poem… I don't understand… how could anyone know?"

"Know what? Who? Adam, please explain." Eddie raised his voice and approached the Canadian. But he stopped on his tracks when he saw Adam's face. Fear and agony made his eyes shine brighter, as his breath became faster. Eddie came closer and touched his shoulder in support. "Do you know who wrote this?" he asked softly.

Adam looked deep into Eddie's eyes. Tears were filling up his own eyes and his voice broke as he spoke his answer.

"I did."

Silence.

"I wrote it, back in high school. When I was seventeen, my best friend was missing for two weeks… They said he was kidnapped. He… he was found in the middle of a field... naked, battered, tortured. His face was twisted with a horrible mask of fear. The doctors said there was no hope of ever recovering from the coma, so they pulled the plug. He died a few days later in the hospital. I wrote this poem for him soon after his funeral, but nobody knew about it. I never showed it to anybody…"

"Who did it?" Kurt asked.

"Police never solved the case…"

"I don't understand. Why now? How did they get a hold of your poem? What does it have to do with Oscar?"

"I don't know…"

They fell silent again. Eddie and Kurt could see how much this had affected Adam. They were all dumbfounded. The events were taking place so quickly, it was difficult to keep up, let alone understand them. Eddie finally broke the silence.

"OK… let's take one thing at a time. Let's forget the damn poem for a while and concentrate on the hospital. Adam, you said a nurse came and took Oscar away. Do you remember him? If you describe him to the nurses, maybe they might help us. Kurt, can you go down and see if you can find out if Angie really did come to check him out?"

Kurt agreed and left the room while Adam tried to remember the nurse.

"Well, he had short blond hair… He was tall, well built, about my age and he wore a nurse's uniform. I can't remember anything out of the ordinary about him… I only saw him for a while. He just came in and took Oscar for tests. It is a question whether I saw him a couple of minutes in total… I am sorry…"

"It is OK my friend. It's OK." He whispered. "I am sorry about before. I didn't mean those things I said."

"Eddie, you don't have to apologise to me. Don't you think I have already thought about all this? I have. I couldn't help it. I felt responsible somehow. Like it was all my fault. And I think Rey feels the same way I do. As much as he hurts, it is what we feel for each other that can help his wounds heal. I love him more than my own life, more than I ever thought it was possible to love. And you know what? He loves me back Eddie. Is that so bad? Is that such a terrible thing? Would you rather have him not knowing? Would you have him face this alone? Because make no mistake. Rey wouldn't have told you anything and all of you would have ended knowing about it in the news."

Eddie lowered his head. "If I know a few things, they are about guilt and mistakes. I understand that what happened to Oscar is not your fault even if it seems so. If your feelings are mutual, then you have to hold on to that, and he has to as well. You have to hold on to what you have, to your love and never give it up even in times of despair. I myself had to fight in my life for the ones I loved; I had to hold on to my love for my own sake and most important for the sake of those I kept close to my heart. It was this love that kept me going and helped me get my life and my family back."

"And what if we lose this fight? What if the worst has indeed happened and I've lost him?" Adam's voice broke.

"I don't mean to patronise you Adam, but I have fought many battles, and it is no secret, I have lost many of them."

"How did you get over them? How did you manage to move on?"

"This is the thing. You are never over it, you never forget it. You learn to live with the pain, even embrace it… you learn to survive, not hold onto the past but move ahead, look to the future. I only survived because I knew that I did put up one hell of a fight before ever giving up; that I fought with every part of my soul, with every bit of strength I had left in me… but I didn't fight alone. I had my friends with me. Friends like Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko and Oscar, to support and help me in every step… that is why I have to do everything in my power to help him now in his hour of need. Do you understand now why you have to hold on? Why you have to fight?"

"Yes… it is just… everything is so confusing. We don't even know what happened. We don't know if Angie did come or if he just walked away on his own, or even something worst happened."

"Come on man… do you really think that Angie would come after that lovely letter she wrote? In my mind, this poem holds the key… I believe it has something to do with Oscar, we just have to figure it out… If this letter is linked to Rey, then I am afraid that this is your cross to bear. It has been yours for a long time… it has just fallen again on your shoulders. All I can do for you is be there and help you in every way you want me to. You just have to dig deep into your memories and find out, no matter how much it hurts." He opened the door looking for Kurt. "Maybe we should go find Kurt. There is no point in staying here."

Adam grabbed Rey's bag with his things and followed Eddie downstairs to the ground floor. It wasn't difficult to find Kurt. He was talking to a doctor a few feet away from the front desk. He was holding a yellow file and showing a piece of paper to Kurt. As soon as the other two wrestlers approached them, they heard Kurt thanking the doctor for his time.

"Did you find out anything?" Eddie asked keeping his voice low.

"The doctor just showed me Rey's papers. He showed me the release papers and we checked them together. He said everything was in order, with all signatures…"

"Who was the doctor who signed him out?"

"Well it is a bit complicated. Hospital policy says that if the condition of a patient is not life threatening, then a close relative can sign him out. The doctor says that Angie came and signed the papers. I saw her signature."

"He actually saw Angie signing?" Eddie asked surprised.

"Well no…" Kurt mumbled. "Look at this place man…" he said and waved his hand around to show them the place.

It was full of doctors, nurses, patients, relatives, some police men, security… some walking fast, some shouting, others screaming in pain… there were stretchers, beds, oxygen masks, medical trays all over the place… chaos… Kurt continued.

"Nobody knows how these papers ended up in the drawer signed, even the doctor doesn't remember signing it, but he swears it is his signature on the release papers… Listen, when I asked for them, they just handed them over to me. The doctor said that since his wife signed him out, the hospital couldn't keep him any longer. They can't force anybody to stay against their will."

"Great!" Adam cried out. "We know she didn't come and there is nothing we can do to find out where he was taken."

"Is there any possibility that she did come? Maybe she changed her mind… maybe she found out about him, took pity and returned…" Kurt suggested reluctantly.

"Then why didn't she come upstairs and take his things? Why rush him out like a fugitive? And why is it that nobody has seen her or Oscar leaving the hospital? No… this is too weird to be true."

"In any case, we can't stay here any longer. Let's go to the hotel in case someone calls there or if someone shows up." Eddie proposed.

"Wait." Kurt stopped them. "Shall we call the police?"

"And tell them what, vato loco? We have nothing! The papers are all legal… all we have is a freaking poem we can't even connect to Rey… we don't even know if it IS connected to him."

"He is right" Adam agreed. "All we have is what our gut tells us. Police will just brush us off laughing… Let's go…" he finally said sadly and walked passed them by.

Eddie and Kurt just looked at each other and then followed him outside the hospital.

In the beginning there was only darkness. A black veil was covering his eyesight making him see around a black mist. He blinked a few times and his sight became clearer, but his head spun around like crazy. Just then he tried to move, and a surge of pain running from is mouth, his throat all the way down to his spine stopped him. He winced. It was then that he realised his bizarre sadistic bonds. A metallic mouthpiece was forced inside his mouth making his breathing almost impossible. In its turn, it was connected to two metallic bars. One bar was running around his scull forcing the mouthpiece deeper into Rey's mouth and keeping his head high, bent backwards and one bar connecting the back of the headpiece to the tight handcuffed hands and feet behind his back. He tried to move a bit, but even the slightest move made him want to scream in pain. This medieval torture holding his body immobile was more than he could stand. He wanted to scream with every muscle he twitched even accidentally, but instead a quiet moan came out. He felt the cold rusted metal in his mouth. He moved his tongue around tasting the old blood and feeling a few drops of new dripping down his throat. He wanted to cough it out badly, but the strong mouthpiece held tight.

'God, I can't even swallow'

He had dry blood under his nose and the tears from the strain ran down his cheeks. After a while he managed to put his need to cough under control, and inhaled deeply from his bleeding nose. He managed to lift up his eyes and look around the room. There weren't many things he could see at first. Everything around was dark… he tried to move a little, but his bonds would be there reminding him painfully to stay still. He moaned again. The dizziness didn't subside immediately. He laid still, his eyes closed. He felt his body brushing against the hard mattress. He focused on the sounds of the room. In the beginning he heard nothing, just his own breathing. Then a sound made him stop and concentrate on it. There were footsteps coming from outside the room, muffled voices and dragging. Rey began breathing faster. He was confused, cold and afraid. He realised he was naked and that only made his fear grow. His whole body was in pain, his head was pounding and a burn in his chest was beginning to form reminding him his dangerous pneumonic condition. He closed his eyes tighter trying to make the pain go away and think. The last thing he remembered seeing was the face of the nurse above him as he was taking him to do some tests. Tests… he wasn't in the hospital any more, that was sure… he had no idea how long he was out of it. People would start looking for him soon… he would be missed… missed…

'Adam' he thought and opened his eyes wide! Only then did he realise how serious this was. Fear was not the only feeling any more. He felt terror! He had no idea who these people were, what they wanted from him. They had kidnapped him just like that, with no apparent reason. Soon people would start looking for him and Edge first of all. But his heart sunk deeper in terror once he heard someone unlocking the door and entering.

Rey lay absolutely still, keeping his eyes closed. Perhaps if he pretended to be asleep then they wouldn't hurt him. A voice echoed inside the room, dangerously close to his ear.

"I know you are awake."

He caressed Rey's forehead with his cold hand. Rey reluctantly opened his eyes. The nurse was standing next to him. He didn't try to cover his face, and this scared him even more. He started fearing that he wouldn't come out of this alive.

The nurse touched his cheek and let his hand slip down to Rey's tattooed arms. His smile was bizarre; a mixture of lust, sadism and irony. He traced his hand up his arm and lower to his fine tanned chest sending shivers to Rey's body. Those shivers Rey hated. He hated this man's touch; he hated his filthy hands touching him, making him feel dirty. The nurse saw the hint of hatred in his prisoner's eyes and gave him a creepy smile; something between pleasure and ecstasy. Finally, he spoke.

"You hate me right now don't ya?" and he let his eyes roll down to Rey's abdomen, on the 'MEXICAN' tattoo. "You shouldn't hate me. You should fear me… him most of all… when he comes to ya, then you will now what fear is…"

Rey tried to move away from the slimy hand that kept caressing him. Immediately, the nurse laughed and punched his ribs cutting the air from Rey's lungs.

"Jason… that is enough" a voice came from the door of the room. Rey didn't open his eyes to see who it was. It hurt too much. The punch had taken the wind out of him and trying not to move too much took all his effort. He felt his eyes sting from the tears. The nurse,

'Jason…' his mind registered

got up and left the room, closing the door behind him. Rey heard the man approaching him, but not touching him.

'Thank God'

He heard his dominant voice echo on the dirty walls.

"Do you like that? That thing you wear? I designed it. Do you know how I call it? The Gordian Knot because it is almost impossible to untie. It's been a long time since I last used it. I am glad it suits you well. I hope you like it and quickly get use to it."

Rey couldn't believe what he was going through. Being tied up in chains and steel bars that bent and twisted his body backwards almost in a full circle, was something he hadn't even dreamed in his worst nightmares. He had his back turned on the man, not by his own choice but simply because he had woken up like this. He wasn't sure however that he wanted to look at him.

The old man took a step closer and stood by the bed in silence. Rey now wished he was turned around to see him, see his eyes and find out who this old man was, if he should be afraid of him. Then he felt it. Sheer pain tearing every muscle he had, opening up wounds inside and outside his body. The old man had grasped the Gordian knot and pulled it violently turning Rey around to face him. Rey's screams although muffled were loud. The tears ran freely down his cheek erasing all blood he had from his nose, but he didn't care about it. The pain was compared to nothing he had felt so far in his life. The pain just wouldn't stop even when the old man had ceased pulling the bars. So Rey cried and cried, his sobs only worsening his condition, blood flooding his mouth, drowning him.

The old man had goose bumps from the pleasure. Hearing those sweet cries, those gurgling sounds coming from his prisoner's throat were enough to make him hard.

'No… that will have to wait' he scolded himself as he marvelled the superb Latino body writhing in pain before his eyes.

Eventually Rey's sobbing ceased, not because the pain had stopped, but because he felt the need to. He didn't want this freak to get any more pleasure from this torture. The blood still filled his mouth, and he had no choice but to swallow it. Immediately he felt sick. The pure metallic taste of his own blood made him want to vomit, but he managed to contain himself and put his pain under some control. The old man kneeled down next to Rey. Only then did he see his face clearly. He didn't recognise him; he certainly wasn't somebody from his immediate environment. He was old and he was big and muscular. He was dressed in black and a few seconds later Rey realised that the old man was wearing a catholic priest's suit. But there was something about him that looked familiar, something about his figures he knew had seen before, like a faint recollection or a distant reminder, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

The man still wouldn't touch him. He just stood there kneeling next to him, starring at him and examining his beautiful but tortured body inch by inch.

"You are so beautiful my child… so very beautiful. I am sorry to cause you pain, but I'm afraid it is necessary. You are unclean, your body is unclean, you soul is spoiled from the touch of that filthy sinner. Pain is the only way to wash away the sins."

Then he reached out his hand and touched the mouthpiece, he grasped it with his old wrinkled fingers. Rey's eyes opened wide in fear, his breath picking up pace.

"But this cleansing of the soul must begin from the body. It is only through your pain that your sins will be forgiven… and mine…"

And he pulled the mouthpiece, he pushed it, he pressed it to every direction inside Rey's mouth, ripping his lips, slitting the inside of his cheeks, hurting his teeth, his neck. He felt his back bones twist weirdly and his wrists cut open from the handcuffs. This kind of hurt was new. Rey had never been in so much pain, ever. It was too much for his mind to accept and register. He wanted to scream, cry out but he found out he couldn't. He couldn't do anything. His body had crossed its limits in a matter of seconds and Rey was thankful to realize that his eyesight was blurring. Unconsciousness was very close, just like the pain he was experiencing. He didn't want to think what was coming up next. All he wanted was for the pain to stop. He wanted to sleep and maybe waking up all this would be just a bad dream. He felt the Gordian knot being pulled once more, bringing him back to reality. He tried and opened his eyes to face the old man. That is when he wished he were already unconscious.

The old man was leaning over Rey. He had unzipped his pants and was jerking off. His free hand was working fast his swollen dick, while his other hand was twisting the Gordian knot. He was starring at Rey, at his body, at the blood in pure lust and raunchiness. Rey wished again he was unconscious. The old man continued pumping his dick, making it bigger and harder. He was like a vulture, like a vampire, feeding off from the pain, from the blood, from the suffering. His breathing was getting faster and faster as his hands jerked off quicker and quicker. Suddenly, after what seemed like an eternity, he grasped the Gordian knot harder and pulled it hard upwards, lifting Rey's body to the air. He came letting out an animalistic cry, his hot sperm falling on Rey's naked body.

He let the Gordian knot go and Rey fell heavily on the hard mattress. He kept his eyes shut, so he didn't see the old man's face when he caressed Rey's hair, but he heard his voice break as he spoke.

"My boy… my dear boy… this is something we both have to fight. This is our sin and though pain, we will cleanse our bodies and our souls."

And he left, shutting the heavy iron doors and locking them behind him.

Rey was left all alone. His body shivering, but he couldn't tell if it was from the cold, the shame, the humiliation or the pain. It was all that at the same time, though his mind was far too numb to think. Everything he felt was clouded from the pain that was invading him. He was amazed he hadn't passed out yet or hadn't gone crazy, and partly hated himself for that. Unconscious or mad, he wouldn't have to face this new reality, this pain. It seemed like every part of his body was aching, even his heart… his heart… he tried to concentrate on something, something happy, something good and hold onto to that. He ignored the blood in his mouth, besides by now he was kind of used to swallowing it anyway, and tried to control himself. He had to find something good.

His family, his wife immediately came to mind, but a few seconds later he remembered the bitter truth and the pain only got bigger. His heart broke again when he remembered how much they had hurt him. He felt a sting in his eyes from the tears. This was too much to handle. Rey needed to cry, he wanted to cry but he knew this would only bring more pain. No… he had to find something to hold onto…

The figure of a tall blond man leaning over him came to his mind. He immediately registered the image of Adam like he remembered him when they had made love back at the hotel; the soft, wild and beautiful features of his face above him, the gentle touch of his fingers, the astounding sent of his strong body…

And amazingly he fell asleep.

Adam was sitting exhausted in his room, on his bed, hiding his face behind his palms. Almost two days had passed since Rey's disappearance and still no word from him or anybody else for that matter. Kurt had suggested calling the police and after much thought they had gone and reported him missing.

They told the police the whole story from the beginning with every detail… almost every detail. They had kept a secret the intimate relationship Adam had with Rey, and they had simply stated that Rey was just having trouble coping with his family problems and needed his friend's support. They had given the letter to them and they had sent it to the forensics lab for testing. The most painful thing was having to remember the story behind this letter. It was a distant memory Adam had decided to bury a long time ago and forcing himself to recover them was difficult and downward unpleasant.

Back home in Canada were he had grown up, when he was just a little boy, Adam had two best friends, one was Jay Reso and the other was a boy called Vincent Venerouso. Vincent was much smaller in size than the other boys of his age and he had trouble from bullies at school. Adam and Jay couldn't stand watching the other kids picking up on him and they had decided to protect him. And for a while, it worked. They had become best friends, especially Adam and Vincent. Vincent was what they called a geek, but he was kind, smart, honest and funny, and the other two enjoyed his company. One day, on his way back from school, Vincent disappeared. No one knew were he had gone. The police kept looking for him, but there wasn't much hope to begin with. No one had called asking for ransom. He had just vanished without a trace. The police was starting to speculate that they were dealing with a runaway boy, but Adam knew better. There was no chance in hell that Vincent would have left his home simply because there was no reason for him to do so. That is when a farmer found Vincent's body, at the borders of his farm near the national highway. Vincent never did recover from the coma he was in, so they never did find who had done this terrible thing. Adam was never told what had happened to his friend due to his young age at the time. He was not allowed to see him in the hospital, he was not allowed to attend his closed coffin funeral. But rumours said that he was so badly tortured that his parents didn't want to show the world the abused body of their son. The same night of the funeral, he had written the poem, in memory of his friend. But he had shown it to nobody… nobody. Now, all these years later, seeing it again unfolding right in front of his eyes was like seeing a ghost, a nightmare coming back to life. He didn't dare imagine what would happen to Rey.

Now, sitting alone in his room, thinking back to everything that had happened, trying to remember all the details was a truly painful task. But he had hope. He hoped that someone would call asking for ransom, or perhaps even Rey would call telling them not to worry, that he was back again with his family. But still somewhere in the back of his mind a small voice kept telling him how hopeless it was. Rey had met the same fate as Vincent. He was taken by the same men, and he could only wonder if those two incidents were related to him. The presence of the poem was both so clarifying and so confusing it almost drove him insane. He tried to find a link between the two events, put a face to the kidnappers, someone he knew back then and today. Somehow he knew that those who did this had to be linked to him directly or indirectly. Otherwise why send him the damn poem? Why now? Why Rey?

'Fuck'

He felt his head throb and the headache grew stronger. He had to sleep even for a while because tomorrow he had a plane to catch for Orlando Florida for the next Raw taping. He lay to his bed; the same bed he had shared with Rey. It now seemed so big, so empty and so very cold. Adam felt a shiver run down his spine. He took one of Rey's t-shirts and squeezed tightly in his arms. He could still smell his perfume. It was as dominant as Rey. It was strong and spicy, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget it. It followed him everywhere. He brought the t-shirt up to his face and took a deep sniff. It brought back so many memories, old ones but it was the recent ones that truly hurt. He tried to empty his head from the thoughts and get some decent sleep but despite the fact he was exhausted, he found that he couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes, like a switch, his mind started racing to places long forgotten. He tried to remember something from his past, something to help the police, but somehow he knew. If it came to that, if somehow he was able to understand, he doubted the police could get involved.

He sat up from his bed, still the t-shirt held tightly, and walked towards the balcony. It wasn't raining tonight. The night sky was clear and the stars shone like millions of Christmas lights. They reminded him of Rey's eyes.

'Damn'

He cursed himself for not remembering. He almost hated himself for that. There had to be something he had overlooked. Something he had forgotten to tell the police. Then it hit him.

"The man at the reception!" he said out loud. He had wondered about him before but it never occurred to him to ask again, not since Rey's disappearance.

How could he forget that man! He ran down at the reception. There was a young man there wearing a green hotel uniform.

'Bad sign' Adam thought, since the old man he remembered wore a blue uniform. He came close to the desk.

"Uh… excuse me."

"How may I help you sir?"

"A few nights ago, I had a problem and there was a gentleman here that helped me. I was wondering if you knew who he was."

"Can you describe him? There aren't so many night clerks working in our hotel."

"Well, he was kind of old, in his late sixties; he had white short hair and a white beard."

"I am sorry. We don't have anyone working here that old. We don't have anyone with white hair or beard for that matter either."

"Then who was it? He was standing right where you stand! Who was supposed to have a shift that night? Please it is really important."

The clerk saw the desperate look on Adam's face and took pity on him.

"I am not supposed to give out any information for our staff."

"Please, I just want to know what happened. My friend's life might depend on it."

The clerk entered the back door to the left of the reception in the empty manager's office. He came out a few moments ago with a black hard covered book.

"Here is where the manager writes the shifts and the overtime anyone working in this hotel puts. We have to sign when we start and when we finish our shifts. I don't see anything irregular about this, except one night a while back. I had a shift, but got sick and asked Nadia to cover for me."

"No. There was no woman that night. Just an old man! Can we speak to Nadia? Perhaps call her? I know it is a lot to ask, but it is really important and any clue might help us. Please."

Seeing the blond wrestler beg with a tone of emergency in his voice made the clerk nod his head in agreement. He picked up the phone and dialled Nadia's number.

"Hey Nadia, it is me John from the hotel. I'm sorry to wake you up. Listen remember that night when I asked you to cover for me? yes that one... I did?... when?... Nadia it wasn't me!... No… Listen Nadia, this is important. I can't tell you right now but it is related to that incident we had with the WWE wrestlers. Remember? Yes. I don't know yet. Ok. See you in the morning. Thanks."

He hang up.

"This is strange."

"What?"Adam asked anxiously.

"She says she never covered for me because I called her back and cancelled it saying I was feeling better and that I would make my night shift as planned."

"But you didn't call her back did you?"

"No I never called her back. I was really sick that night. I don't know who called her, but it certainly wasn't me. I hadn't noticed it before, but in the 'shift-book' there is a signature for that particular night. It isn't mine or Nadia's. As a matter of fact, it doesn't look like the signature of any of the employees here in our hotel."

Adam looked at the book the clerk was holding in his hands. His heart was racing and his mind went to a million directions at once! Could this be the break they needed? He took out his cell phone and dialled the telephone number the police detective handling the case had given him. His hands were shaking from the anticipation. The young clerk was just standing behind the desk worriedly holding the book tightly in his hands.

The phone kept ringing.

One time.

Second time.

"Come on pick it up… pick it up…" he mumbled to himself.

Third time.

"Scott here."

"Hello detective Scott. This is Adam Copeland. Sorry if this is a bad time, but I found out something you should know. Could you please come to the hotel?"

"I'll be there in half an hour."

Half an hour later, as promised detective Scott was entering the hotel lobby. Immediately he spotted Adam standing in front of the reception desk with a young clerk.

"Hello sir" the clerk said nervously.

"What did you find out?" Scott asked ignoring the clerk.

Adam took the book in his hands and opened it in the right page indicating the proper entry with his finger. The different signature stood up from the rest.

"What am I looking at?" he asked.

"This is the clerk's signature on shift the night Rey got sick. That night I came down and asked for a pain killer from an old man standing were John stands tonight. This is his signature."

"And…" Scott waited for the rest.

"John tell him"

"Well I was supposed to be on shift but I got sick and asked Nadia to cover for me. However, she says I called her back later and cancelled it saying I was feeling fine and that I would do my shift, which is not true. I was really sick at home with my mother, with high fever. Detective, we don't have anyone working here matching the description of the man Mr Copeland saw that night. The signature doesn't correspond to any one of us. I don't know who he saw, but I can tell you that he did not belong to our staff. The manager can verify it too."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes sir. I have been working here for three years now and I know everyone on the staff. Besides we have regulations for cases like these."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that if there was one of us behind this desk, that night, we wouldn't have given him just a pain killer. We would have called a doctor or an ambulance on any time of day. We are not taking any chances with our guests. This is a strict rule and everybody follows it. That is one of the reason's I know that the 'old man' Mr Copeland saw was not a member of our staff."

"OK. I will need to speak to the manager of the hotel and take this book to the lab see if we can find anything from the signature."

"Detective Scott" Adam said pulling his attention. "I have seen this man and I can describe him with every detail."

"Alright. We will go to the police station and have you work with someone on a sketch. With a little luck this will lead us somewhere."

The sound of the doors opening with a loud metallic noise woke up Rey from his cold slumber. He didn't move. Keeping his eyes closed, he concentrated on his breathing, trying to make it sound like he was still asleep. A figure walked in and with heavy footsteps came close to his laying body. Rey heard a weird sound.

'Keys?'

He wanted to see what was going to happen. He opened his eyes and saw a huge black man holding some keys. His size alone was enough to scare him, although he showed no signs of interest towards him like the other two. The black man kept looking for the right key though Rey had no idea what he intended to lock or unlock. It was hard to read the man's face since it was still dark inside. Only his eyes were visible, and even those he couldn't read. They were cold, unemotional, concentrated. Rey was just staring at him when finally he found the key he was looking for. It was a small rusted key. He held it between his thick fingers and reached for the Gordian knot. Rey closed his eyes and prepared himself for the worst. To his surprise, he heard an unlocking sound behind his back. He opened his eyes again. The man had unlocked the cuffs and the Gordian knot. Apparently its locking mechanism was behind the back, between his shoulder blades where he couldn't reach even if his hands were untied.

Rey had no idea how many hours or even days he had been wearing this medieval harness, but now that it was coming off, it was more painful than he expected. His limbs ached unimaginably and he moaned as the black man removed the metallic bar from his back. The worse pain was the one on his neck. Having his head bent backwards was one thing, but having the opportunity to bring it forwards where it should be after all this time was much more painful. Rey was wise enough to keep it still for a while and slowly move it but the hands of the black man touched his face and turned it violently. He unlocked the headpiece and removed it pulling the mouthpiece along with it. Immediately Rey screamed from the pain. The coughing started but he was grateful to be able to breathe again normally. He coughed out the blood in his mouth before managing to put his pain and spasms under control. It still hurt but it was better than before. He looked at the black man for an instant and whispered a faint 'thank you'.

"You'll have plenty of time to thank me later" his bass voice bellowed in the dirty thick walls.

He left Rey alone on the hard mattress. For the first time he was able to move his head without feeling the pain of the Gordian knot, although he could still taste the metallic tang in hid mouth. It was then he realised how cold he was. He was completely naked inside a filthy room, with no windows. The only light existing was coming from the small porthole on the door. There was no way he could tell if it was day or night. He brought himself in a foetal position trying to warm himself a little bit but to no avail. The burning in his chest was getting worse. For now it was just a small pain, but he understood well that under conditions like these, it would soon get worse. He had to get out somehow. But how? The doors were thick and heavy metal doors locked from the outside and as far as he could tell there were at least three people; the black man, the nurse-Jason and the old man. Even if he could slip past the old man and Jason, he could never escape the black man.

He wanted to get out of bed but after all these days under the Gordian knot his legs didn't obey his will. He was still too weak to stand. He rubbed them with his sore fingers; maybe if he got the blood circulating faster, then he would be able to stand.

Then the doors opened again. Rey huddled at the top corner of his bed. To his despair the old man entered along with Jason. He was holding a big steel tray, like the ones they use in hospitals. Right behind them another man entered. He was white too. Rey felt a little relieved not to see the huge black man come inside. On the other hand, he realised that there were more than three people outside those big doors guarding him. He turned his attention to the old man who was standing near the feet of his bed. His eyes were on fire. Rey thought he looked like some kind of devil, with his white as snow hair and beard, wearing his impeccable priest clothes and looking at him so evilly.

"What do you want from me?" he asked hating the fact that his voice broke in the end.

"I told you" the old man replied.

"Why? Why me?"

He didn't answer.

"Henry, will you please?" he ordered the third man who was standing by the door.

Henry took a few steps towards the bed. He was holding a new pair of cuffs.

"No please don't do this" Rey begged but no one seemed to hear his pleas. They seemed unaffected from his cries for help. He looked at them with his innocent dark eyes, filled with fear and desolation. Henry grabbed Rey's hands and cuffed them both to the steel pipes on the bed. He was turned around facing the mattress. The burning in his chest was getting worse, although right now his fear was far too great to concentrate on anything else. He lifted his head to look at the old man.

He had removed his black shirt and placed it neatly on the bed. Jason had left the tray on the floor and was holding a flail. The evil in his eyes left no doubts. He WAS planning on using it today.

"Begin the cleansing" the old voice commanded.

Rey's mind registered two distinct sounds. The first was the sound on a whip falling on the back of the old man without him making one single sound.

The second was the sound of his own screams as he heard his skin tear under the hacking of the flail. His torture was special. This flail had a wooden handle; attached to its top were four black leather straps, and each strap was decorated lengthways with small iron spikes. Each time it fell on his back, each time Rey would scream at the top of his lungs louder and louder.

He had no idea how many times the flail had struck, but they felt like too many. By now apart from his own cries, all he heard was the splashing sound of his own blood when the flail connected with his shredded back. And it hurt. He had gripped the iron bars of the bed so tightly he couldn't feel his fingers any more.

After what seemed like an eternity, Rey couldn't tell any more if half an hour or half a day had passed, the torture stopped. He was half unconscious, although he wished to be completely out of it.

Jason and Henry left the room silently. Rey had his eyes half closed flirting at last with oblivion. Tears were blurring his vision; tears of pain not of despair… not yet… with every muscle he moved, there was one opening wound, one big painful slash across his back to remind him that once again he should lay still. The old man knelt beside him. Rey felt his old wrinkled hand caressing his sweating front like a caring father, sweeping the salty tears and the transparent pearls of sweat from his face. He wanted to spit right to his face, he wanted to hate him, but there was not much strength left in him. He just lay on the bed looking at the strangely serene face of the old man. His hand was caressing his cheeks and his eyes had a creepy loving stare. The old man kissed Rey's forehead with his lips smeared with saliva. His hand was slowly caressing its way back from Rey's wet head to his neck and lower to his back.

His eyes shot wide open as a finger was pushed inside a wound on his back. The old man was slipping slowly, painfully his thumb deep inside a laceration sending waves of pain through his body while the other fingers were gripping his shredded flesh, mixing his blood with his stained palms. Rey opened his mouth but he didn't manage to make a sound. The old man began kissing him passionately, sticking his tongue between Rey's lips, sucking his tongue and savouring inch by inch his sweet mouth.

Rey felt sick. It wasn't just the act that sickened him, it was everything; the rotten taste of the old man's mouth, the smell of liquor and cigarettes in his breath. He tried to break the kiss but another finger pushed inside a laceration on his back made him stop. Once the old man broke the kiss, Rey gasped for air. He looked at the old face above him. It was red from excitement. Rey knew somehow what would follow.

"My child…" he whispered as he began again caressing Rey's sweated face. "You are magnificent. I'm afraid no matter how hard I try I'll never rid of my sin… our sin. No matter how strong our will is, as long as HE still exists in our lives dominating and controlling our emotions, there will be no salvation."

The old man kept caressing Rey's wet head and face with his blood stained hand. He had no idea what this man was talking about, what his sin was but he had no strength left in him to react. It took all his effort just to concentrate on his words. Who this 'HE' was? What did he want from him? Why?

"I know there must be a million questions filling up your mind my child. For now let's just say you are serving a higher purpose…"

"What purpose?" he managed to say though his voice came out low and raspy. Rey's anger was growing by the second. "Making you jerk off?"

The old man's eyes shone from the sudden burst of anger and hate sending shivers down Rey's spine, making him regret his words the moment they had come out. He grabbed Rey by the throat and kept squeezing.

"You dare! You still don't realize who you are dealing with don't you? I can make you wish you had never been born boy! Don't make me give you to those animals out there sooner than planned. You serve a purpose being here. And when I have what I want, you will have NO reason to exist. Soon HE will come to me like a lost sheep, like the prodigal son that he is!" and he let Rey's throat.

He stood up and walked a couple of feet away from the bleeding Rey now coughing, trying to catch his breath. He bent over and took something from the tray Jason had brought in earlier. With the edge of his eye Rey saw a syringe.

"No" he begged in vain.

The old man approached and with one thrust injected the liquid to the side of Rey's sore neck.

Rey only managed to gasp and let out a hard moan. Rapidly he felt spasms invade his body and a strong cold pain grabbing his chest. Soon his eyesight was blurring and he was sure there was saliva coming out of him mouth. He did not see his nose bleed nor a single tear tracing a clean path through the blood on his face and dropping on the mattress. The cold wrinkled fingers of the old man grasped him from his hair and violently threw him against the filthy concrete walls smashing his head with unbelievable force. He continued punching him and kicking him, but it made no difference any more.

Rey had already blacked out.

Adam had followed detective Scott downtown and along with a specialist, they had painted the portrait of the man he remembered seeing at the reception that night. Then he had made a phone call to Vince McMahon about the Raw taping he had missed and he was relieved to hear the WWE president give his permission. His exact words in fact were "Anything Adam, anything to find him."

Adam had then called Eddie to inform him about the last development. He was sad to find out that the press had somehow found out about Rey's disappearance and they were all over the WWE roster about this. Thankfully, no more of the gory details had reached publicity, but already on the internet the rumors were out of control. Sadly, Eddie and Kurt had the worst role to play, and that was to fend off not only the press and the fans, but also the justified questions the rest of the WWE wrestlers were asking.

"Believe me Adam, if I knew what was going on, I would have told them." Eddie stated through his cell phone.

"Them?"

"The wrestlers, the staff… Vince knows what I know. Kurt and I talked to him about it because he must know what is going on with Rey. But nobody else knows. The others suspect we know something and they keep bothering us. Rey has so many friends among us… it is hard not to care about him. I understand their concern. It would be really helpful if they knew. You never know. They might know something we have missed."

"I don't know Eddie. A lot of people care for him but I am not so sure if we should tell them yet. I mean, what do we really know?"

"I hear you. Kurt is with Kidman right now. He has a lot of trouble cooping with whole thing; RVD too. It is really hard without Rey. And people talk! I have heard some nasty rumors, esse. Everybody is feeling either scared or sad."

"Mr. Copeland" a policeman spoke to Adam from a distance.

"Hold on Eddie" he asked over the phone and turned to face the policeman.

"We have identified the man. Would you mind coming?"

"Eddie I have to go. I will call you when I have further news. I am sorry you and Kurt have to go through this alone."

"No man, it's OK. You must do this. You are his only chance esse. I'll be waiting for your call."

They hang up. Adam's heart was racing. Something in his mind told him that this lead would be the break they needed. He entered an office were detective Scott was waiting with the chief. He didn't bother sitting down. He closed the door and looked eagerly the two men.

"Mr. Copeland… please, take a seat."

"What is it? They told me you have identified the man. Who is it?"

Detective Scott stood up and paced around the desk. He was looking directly into Adam's eyes. Then he spoke.

"He is not American. He is Canadian. His name is Jacob Mandeson."

Adam's eyes opened up widely at the sound of the last words. This was a name he hadn't thought about or uttered in a really long time. This indeed was a man from his past, a long forgotten man, a man he had never seen in his life but knew all too well! A man he hated.

"He is my father" he uttered, his voice stuttering a bit.

The two policemen were not prepared for this, Adam could tell from their reaction.

"Would you mind explaining it a bit?" Scott asked.

"There is not much to tell. He left my mother pregnant and he left her before I was born. I have never met him nor seen his face, not even a photo. I just recognize the name."

"But you have never met him? Not once?"

"No, never."

"I know this too sudden for you, but could you please think of any reason why he should be interested in Mr. Guttierrez?"

"I have no idea." He answered. His mind still couldn't believe what he had just heard. How could his own father be involved in this? After all this time, why now? And why Rey? It still didn't make sense.

"Mr. Copeland. I am sorry to ask you this, what is the real nature of your relationship with Mr. Guttierrez?"

Adam was stunned from the direct question.

"What?" he asked angrily.

"Please before you get angry, there is a reason why I ask this intimate question."

Adam sat down on the sofa.

"Rey and I are good friends…"

The two police detectives kept looking at him waiting for him to continue.

"Lately we have become more than that."

No reaction. They did expect it. They did see it coming.

"As you know," the chief spoke breaking the silence "and perhaps heard on TV, there is a category of crimes that we call "Crimes of Passion". Mr. Mandeson has a long criminal history. He was arrested in Toronto Canada for raping and killing four women and two children! But he was never incarcerated due to his mental illness. He was committed in an asylum for the criminally insane for twenty years where received shock therapy."

Adam was speechless. He had just heard his father's life story in a couple of seconds. A life he ignored and would rather not know. His mother was right not wanting to speak about him. Perhaps she was one of his unknown victims.

"Jacob Mandeson was released from the asylum two years ago. He has been missing since."

"Are… are you telling me that my father, kidnapped Rey? Why would he do that?"

"We can not be sure yet. His profile can only allow us to speculate, but we can't be sure of anything."

Adam stood up.

"Then speculate… I want to know the reason damn it!"

The two men looked at each other. The chief spoke again calmer this time.

"We spoke to the Canadian profiler. She had some suggestions, all leading up to you. She believes that he has been secretly watching you since his release form the asylum. He found out somehow that you are his son, and probably came looking for you…"

"Now this is why we asked you that personal question before" Scott continued. "According to the profiler, Mr. Mandeson is very possessive and obsessive. She told us that given the circumstances perhaps you are his obsession… This is where Mr. Guttierrez comes in. The profiler is certain that Jacob Mandeson captured Mr. Guttierrez because he was close to you. He took him to get closer to you."

"I don't understand." Adam was confused. "If he wanted me, then why didn't he get me in the first place?"

"Maybe this is a way of getting closer to you; knowing what and who you love, why, what you are attracted to, your tastes, your preferences. He doesn't dare come close to you yet. He is not afraid, oh no. For now he is satisfied with having in his possession something that is yours."

"Oscar?" he asked more to himself than to Scott. He didn't own Rey, no one did. This didn't make any sense. It hurt but not the way he thought it would. The pain inside him grew, but not for his father. It grew because of him. The fact that it was his own father who had caused all this pain felt like pushing the knife deeper in the wound. Despair rose to his gorge in a thick knot.

"Mr. Copeland there is no use in trying to make sense from all this. Don't forget, this man is instable and no one knows what is going through in his mind or why he does the things he does. What we must focus on right know is finding Mr. Guttierrez."

"How are we going to do that?"

"We have search teams looking the places he used to live and our Canadian colleagues working with us on their country."

"This feels hopeless" Adam whispered softly.

"Mr. Copeland. The chief and I have some experience in matters like these. We believe that Jacob Mandeson will contact you soon. They always do, when…"

"When what?' Adam waited him to finish his thought.

"When the object kidnapped ceases to satisfy their needs" Scott had regretted the way his thought had come out. He cursed himself silently. The look on Adam's face told the whole story. Fear and anger mixed together, making his muscled body shake.

'You mean that he will kill Oscar?"

They didn't answer immediately. The chief spoke first, trying to cover Scott's mess.

"What detective Scott meant was that Mr. Mandeson will most likely use Mr. Guttierrez as bait to lure you to him. And when that time comes, Mr. Copeland you must let us know. You must let us help you and protect you."

Adam's face was blank.

"It will be our only chance to find him alive. Do you understand?"

He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure what they were asking him to do. It was all too much to digest at once. It was weird. In his life, all the important things came at the same time. Some times, months, even years would pass without any change, without anything important happening. And other times, life changing events would happen within minutes, even seconds. Like now; the last few days were both heaven and hell for Adam, although for the biggest part of it, it has been hell. His mind and his heart were working overtime trying to keep up with the new events and information coming in with every passing second. A voice woke him up form his reverie.

"Mr. Copeland? Do you understand?" the chief was asking again.

Adam nodded and uttered a soft "Yeah". He needed time to think things through. But he knew that time was not a luxury. If the police were right, his father would contact him soon and then he should be ready to take action. He still wasn't sure what he would do. Was Rey alive? Worse, was he dead? No, this was something he mustn't think about. He took a step towards the door. He wanted to leave this place. The two men didn't stop him. They probably realized how much this revelation had troubled the young wrestler. They watched him leave the office. Scott turned to the chief and asked.

"Do you think he will tell us when Mandeson contacts him?"

The chief kept looking at the distant figure of Adam walking away.

"I hope so. For his sake… and Oscar's…"


	3. Chapter 3

Jacob Mandeson was sitting in an old chair near the cold fireplace of the wooden cabin. The darkness surrounding him was thicker than usual but to him it was second nature. He loved it but it hasn't always been like this. He remembered a time, although vaguely, when he loved the sunshine and the bright lights; a time when he adored watching the happiness around him; but all that belonged to the past. He couldn't remember anymore the reason for his change or the exact time of his 'becoming' as he called it. Years ago, he had let himself sink deep into the darkness, deep into the abyss. He had let his mind get swept off from the madness that was rotting him bit by bit. He had learned to love his demons, embrace them completely. Now sitting in the darkness, looking at the ashes resting in the fireplace, he felt contentment; a weird, twisted satisfaction. He was happy for he was near the end of his journey, near his completion. All the years locked up in the asylum had not managed to break his mind. The system had failed to reform him and he had succeeded in fooling the system.

He woke up from his thoughts. There was no sound in the house except his own breathing. Jason, Henry and Anderson had gone out to perform a task, one final task and he was left alone in the cabin to watch after the kid.

The kid! That is how he liked to call him, for in his eyes, Rey looked like a child, like a teenager, unchanging despite his age. And that only angered him more every time he thought of his son. He had to admit that seeing his own son after all those years was kind of exhilarating and binding at the same time. He felt proud for having created such a man; so proud that he knew he had to have him for his own.

The plan had started to form in his mind the very first second he had laid his eyes upon him. The presence however of Rey was not something he had foreseen or calculated. Jacob loved the challenge. Rey added more to the beauty of his son. For the old man, Rey was like a trophy, a valuable object Adam possessed, like a diamond. He just had to have it too. Now that he had Rey under his possession he could easily understand what he saw in the Mexican. He was so beautiful, so fragile and delicate that it felt almost like a sin just watching him.

Jacob had seen Rey for the first time in the hotel reception the night he and Adam had arrived after that Smackdown house show. He had been secretly following Adam for some time now, but seeing him with Rey was a new revelation. He had taken his breath away. He looked so sad and so frail; his eyes were shining but his face was full of distress. Jacob understood why Adam had eyes only for the little creature and it was that night that he decided to call the others and put the new plan in motion.

Tonight, quite a few days later, he had Rey for himself. And he was happy. The beautiful creature was in the back room, locked like a rare animal, to be admired and worshiped only by him and the ones he chose to give him to. He didn't plan on having him so long around, he was going to be the bait and then he would get rid of him, like he had done with so many others in the past. But now that he had him, he really didn't want to part with him. The longer he looked at him, the longer he touched him, the more he consumed him passionately. Rey was going to be the means to obtaining his son, but he was planning on keeping him for a while. Maybe he would prove to be a fine way of entertainment. He had taken a small taste of this creature a couple of times, and how much he had loved it! The mere thought of his muscular body writhing in pain, the sense of control over Rey, the curves of his body, his skin, his voice, his eyes… they sent him over the top. His body tensed up. He licked his dry lips and swept a drop of sweat from his forehead.

He got up from his chair, feeling his dick strain against his pants. Maybe a little visit to the creature wouldn't be such a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all.

When Rey came to his senses, he was still naked, lying on his right side down on the hard mattress facing the wall. He managed to open his left eye only a little bit, as far as the swelling would permit it. His right eye was completely swollen shut and his nose was broken, still bleeding. He tried to move but the pain stopped him. His right shoulder was out of its socket, and the lacerations on his body were still haemorrhaging painfully, preventing him from breathing normally. A rasp moan came from his throat as a bad cough surfaced. He coughed out the blood from his throat and brought his left hand up to cover his chest. He didn't have to have his eyes open to see. He knew his health was getting worse. The unbearable pain in his chest and the coughed out blood were proof that his pneumonic disease was still 'alive' inside, growing again.

He tried to take his mind off the pain and concentrate on something else. He stretched his ears to hear any sound that might indicate his whereabouts, but nothing was heard. The voices and the footsteps outside the room had stopped.

He had no idea how long he had stayed like this; he had lost the track of time. The coughs continued to hit in waves, filling his mouth with blood and the burning in his lungs grew stronger, like boiling water. Rey was sweating and shivering at the same time, the fever rising steadily.

Suddenly, the door opened and Jacob entered still wearing the same impeccable priest black outfit. Rey turned his gaze to see him. He found that the old man looked different. His movements didn't flow like before. They weren't slow and calculated. They were fast, erratic almost spasmodic, like he wasn't in control of himself any more. His eyes were staring at him differently too. He didn't have the creepy fatherly look he had the past couple of times. His eyes were wide open, perversely examining Rey inch by inch, taking pleasure from his battered body and the sticky blood.

Jacob took a few quick strides towards the bed. He was breathing faster, his heart pounding quicker from the excitement. He was not the same man Rey had seen before. He had become something else. His face was twisted, flushed and he could tell he was horny as hell. Jacob grasped Rey's neck and squeezing it tightly punched him with his free hand. Rey let out a gurgling sound and fell back on the mattress heavily spitting more blood. He didn't have the time to realize what had happened when Jacob grabbed him again from his neck and flipped him over to his stomach.

Rey's mind barely registered the sound of a zipper opening. Jacob was holding him down with his hand still gripping his neck. His right shoulder being dislocated made his right arm useless. He had only his left hand to fight, but it didn't help him much because Jacob had grabbed it with his other hand and twisted it backwards. He tried to wiggle out of his hold but it was useless. At this point Jacob had him under his control and at his mercy.

"Please, no" Rey begged.

Jacob laughed loudly, his voice echoing in the walls.

"Please, yes" he mocked back. He used his foot to splay Rey's legs out.

Rey felt Jacob's weight falling over him. He smelled the old man's breath near his face whispering to him.

"I do understand what he sees in you. You are very beautiful. Oh yes. And you are all mine. All mine."

He licked Rey's lips and the blood on his cheeks with his wet, long tongue letting his saliva fall on Rey's face. He let his arm free, but it was too numb for Rey to use any more. Jacob trailed his fingers lower to Rey's back and stuck two inside a bleeding wound knocking the wind out him.

"No, please don't do this" he gasped.

Jacob took his fingers out of the wound. They were covered in blood. He marvelled at them as the blood dripped down to his palm. He bent over and whispered once again.

"He will come for you. If he loves you, he will come soon. I just want you to be ready when your love comes to rescue you. I want him to suffer like I did. It is through our suffering that we will unite. I will become one with my son. And you are the way to do it. Your suffering will set us free" he finished ecstatically

And he lowered his blood dripping fingers to Rey's ass. He thrust them inside and forced them deeper and deeper.

Rey stiffened. He wanted to scream but he didn't want to give the pervert the satisfaction he seemed to get every time Rey cried out. He clenched his jaw shut trying to keep the pain away. Despite his swelled eyes, he knew it was his own blood on the fingers fucking him without pity, and that made him want to gag. He could hear the old man above him panting from the desire as he pushed another finger inside sending a new wave of pain up his spine.

After a while, an eternity it seemed to Rey, he pulled out his fingers and licked them blissfully, loving their taste. He grabbed Rey's dislocated shoulder and yanked it hard.

And he screamed. He couldn't take it any more… he screamed. And Jacob was there to take the pleasure from hearing him suffer. He felt his dick straining against his belly. He was so close now. Finally he would have it all! He started laughing loudly.

And then it was in. His dick was inside Rey, pounding him hard, painfully. Rey wanted to cry out, but a strong hand grabbed his neck cutting off the air, but not completely, just enough to make him hurt more.

"You… are… mine… forever… mine…"

Jacob kept fucking Rey fast like an animal, grunting and drooling, squeezing his neck hard, pulling it backwards, bending Rey's body.

"You… will… learn… to… love this… yes… you are such… such a good fuck… oh yeah…"

Rey was gasping desperately for air, but each time either Jacob squeezed his neck tighter or fucked him harder. He felt tears sting his eyes as the old man kept fucking his ass, tearing him in half.

"You like… my dick… in your ass… don't you? You feel… so nice… so tight… yeah…"

He was fucking him faster and faster, his whole dick inside his ass, bleeding him. His hand let his neck go and Rey immediately gasped for air and then screamed. Jacob however had other plans. Hurting him was not enough. He wanted to hear Rey's sweet voice beg. While he continued to fuck him, he grabbed Rey's balls and gripped them in his fist.

"I love… your screams… scream… more for me…" and squeezed more.

Rey's mind reached the point of no return. Pain was all he knew and it was everywhere. It was in his mind and it consumed his entire body. He felt like everything was stripped from him. There was nothing left inside. Everything was rotten and putrid, and only the pain was the constant reminder that he was sadly very much alive. He felt relieved to sense his consciousness abandoning him one more time, his body going numb just from the huge amount of hurt.

Jacob let his balls free.

"Beg…" he mumbled, feeling almost ready to cum inside Rey. "Beg for more…"

Rey said nothing. He was already half unconscious. Jacob slapped him hard waking him up just enough.

"I said… beg… for more…"

Rey would do anything to stop him, anything to end this nightmare. He opened his mouth and uttered tearfully between his panting.

"Please…fuck… me… more…"

Jacob smiled and grabbed Rey's waist puling him to the edge of the bed, putting knees on the floor angling his body so he could fuck him better, harder and deeper. He knelt down and thrust his dick covered in Rey's blood back inside his bleeding ass. Rey screamed again.

"Tell me… tell me… you love me…"

Rey was crying. He could barely hear the old man's words amongst his screams and his tears.

"I… love… you…"

Jacob's face twisted with an evil mask of satisfaction. How he loved to hear those sweet words out of Rey's mouth, how much that aroused him! His dick twitched in excitement and he let out another animalistic groan.

Rey was weeping, the tears running freely from his swollen eyes, hurting them. His broken body was aching from this raw torture. He had no strength left in him to scream, no will left to fight. A pure form of pain had conquered him shadowing everything in his mind, sweeping clean his every thought. All he sensed was the old man raping him, his dick covered in his blood tearing him in half, his old wrinkled but strong hands grasping his flesh, his low deep voice grunting in pleasure.

"Say… I love you…" he ordered again. "Say… I love you… daddy" then added.

Rey felt disgust, more dirty as the old man kept fucking him, moaning and hissing.

"Say it" he commanded and grabbed Rey again from his neck. Rey had clenched the mattress firmly with his fist. He started crying again. A fist connected with the side of his face, cutting his swollen eye open.

"I love you… daddy…"

"Again" as his movements grew faster and more violent. He was fucking him so hard Rey's body was cornered between Jacob's and the edge of the bed and the bed was rustling against the wall. Rey felt his senses abandon him and his body go limb.

"I love you… daddy…" he repeated although right now it sounded like his own voice was coming from a distant place.

Jacob's body stiffened for a second and let out a cry, like a wild dog howling. He screamed in pleasure as his dick twitched reaching climax. He came hard, letting his hot cum spill inside Rey. He thrust his dick forward a couple more times, each time howling and screaming from the excitement. He lay upon Rey's limb body, panting, trying to catch his breath.

He hadn't felt that good in a long time!

This beautiful creature was indeed good. He had managed to wake up inside him forgotten feelings of perversion, hate and pain. He felt happy and complete having fucked this creature like a dog!

It was perfect… almost… There was still one thing missing and that he would have real soon. He tucked his dick back in his pants and got up on his feet. Rey felt like his insides were pulled out. He wanted to throw up and again he wished he was unconscious… or even dead. The small vision he had left from his left eye was beginning to blur. There was blood dripping from his ear, from the side of his head and his half opened mouth was the only way he had left to breathe. He was surprised to realise how much happiness this approaching oblivion was bringing him. Until he heard the old man speak again from the door.

"I hope my son enjoyed fucking you as much as I did. Adam will be with us very soon."

Rey passed out immediately after those words. He didn't have the time to react as darkness came upon him, leaving his naked broken body half on the bed and half on the cold dirty floor, his head resting on the bed, his right arm hanging limp and his left fist still clinging firmly the mattress.

And the blood kept coming down his face, like tears.

Somewhere Angels were weeping and Satan was laughing.

Adam stepped out from the taxi to the pouring rain. He took a few hasty steps towards the street to his hotel He wanted to get out of this blasted rain and change into something warm and dry. His mind was filled with different thoughts, but the most important thing he could think of doing right now was calling Eddie and tell him about the new development. It was dusk, but the thick grey clouds covering the city sky, made it look like it was already night time. He crossed the wet street, making his way among the traffic jammed cars. He was soaking wet when he reached the other side and was about to enter the hotel when he felt a hand grabbing his coat and pulling it down in order to draw his attention. He turned to look and his eyes fell on a small black boy standing in the rain, staring at him eagerly.

"Sir" the little boy said. He was no more than ten years old.

Adam stared back in surprise not knowing what to do.

"Do you have any money?' the boy asked.

Adam searched his pockets and took out some money. He didn't count them but he handed them to the boy none the less. Numbly he turned to leave when he heard the kid speak again.

"Oscar is alive."

Adam stopped dead on his tracks, not really believing what he had heard. Maybe the rain had played a sick game against him, making him hear what he desired to listen. He turned to face the black boy once more. Sure enough, he was still standing in the middle of the rain, staring up at him with his big black innocent eyes.

"What did you say?"

"I said Oscar is alive. If you want to see him, go behind the Plaza theatre within the next ten minutes."

And then the boy left running before Adam had the time to stop him and question him further. His body was numb, but he had no idea if it was from the rain or the weird message. The boy must have been paid from Rey's kidnappers to deliver the message. That much he could figure on his own. He looked at his watch. It was seven and thirty six minutes. His mind went blank as his feet came to life. He entered the hotel and asked the receptionist where this Plaza theatre was. She looked at him strangely, and smiling delightfully, she informed him that it was up the hotel's avenue, and to the right.

Adam didn't stick around any longer. He bolted right outside into the rain and took out his phone dialling detective Scott's number. He turned right and started running fast, the phone ringing on the other side of the line.

"Come on… pick it up" he mumbled out of breath.

He ran fast amongst the people and their umbrellas, he crossed small streets and vertical avenues, his eyes searching frantically the sign of the Plaza theatre. He looked at this watch. It was seven forty five.

"Hello" Scott answered.

"Detective… it's Adam Copeland. Someone told me Rey is kept somewhere behind the Plaza theatre. I am going there right now…"

"NO! Mr Copeland. Don't go…" Scott answered but a thunder fell that exact moment preventing Adam from hearing him. "It is a setup!" he screamed but Adam did not listen.

"No…" he cursed himself ignoring the hasty looks the people passing by gave him but he didn't care. The minutes had passed. He had to run. With the corner of his eye, he saw the theatre's blue sign flashing brightly. He hung up the cell phone; he ran towards it and turned to the small side alley that lead him to the back of the Plaza. Once there, he stopped to catch his breath. He searched frantically around trying to distinguish someone there, unconsciously still clutching the phone in his palm.

"Rey" he called out but his voice was covered from a loud thunder. Almost immediately a lightning came and shed its light to the back alley proving the storm had reached its highest point. Adam had just the time to see two shadows behind him, but before he could turn, a piece of cloth covered his nose and a strange scent put him out to sleep within moments.

Detective Scott arrived half an hour later behind the theatre with four police officers. The rain was still going strong and the sky was completely black. Night time was upon him, like a burden on his shoulders, covering everything he needed to see. All traces and prints were washed away from the thick raindrops falling on the buildings and the pavements making a weird noise that wiped clean every other sound this damn city created. He stepped out of the police car holding is gun and a flashlight. But after a few pointless minutes, he realised there was no one there. He put his gun back in its holster and was getting ready to leave when he heard one of the police officers yell.

"Detective Scott. Look here!"

Scott ran towards the place where the policeman was pointing. It was something small and silver coloured. He bent down to look. It was a cell phone. He took it carefully and placed it in a plastic bag. Not that it mattered anyway after all this rain. All fingertips would be washed away, but he didn't want to take any chances. It was a miracle that it still worked. From outside the plastic bag he pushed a button and a phone number immediately flashed… his own!

This was Adam's phone.

He was right. He hated it when he was right.

He took out his own cell hone and called the chief.

"Chief" he said when the familiar voice answered, "They have taken him as well. We came too late."

He entered his car and drove away cursing all the way to the forensics lab.

Eddie was standing looking outside from his hotel window when a knock on the door startled him.

"Come in" he said.

The door opened and Kurt came in.

"Anything new?" he asked.

"No nothing. I am still waiting for Adam to call. He said he would call me when he would finish with the police and that was hours ago."

"Have you tried calling him?"

"Yes… a couple of times, but he didn't answer. I called the hotel too. The receptionist told me she saw him enter the lobby and immediately leave"

"To where?"

"She said he asked directions for a theatre"

"A theatre? What the hell for?"

Eddie shrugged.

"I am worried." He said finally.

Kurt sat on the bed sighing.

"People are asking questions Eddie… Vince knows too. He wants to bring the feds in this."

Eddie didn't answer. He kept looking outside. This was killing him. He could taste the metallic bitterness of sadness in his mouth as his swallowed hard, trying to keep his temper under control. He couldn't understand any of it, why… why? Oscar was like his brother… no… correction, Eddie felt that Oscar WAS his brother. After spending a lifetime together on the road, after growing up together, he felt so useless. Rey had always been there for him when Eddie needed him in his bad times… and those were many; he had been there, beside him, with a smile, with his big eyes shining brightly, giving him courage, strength… hope!

"I remember first meeting Rey," Eddie finally said, "he was outside of the arena throwing firecrackers, and I remember he had a smile on his face! He's just one of those people that you look at, and you just smile. In Spanish, he has what we call a lot of angel in him. He's got a great charisma. And that's what I love about Rey. I love being around him. Ever since I first met him, he's been like that. And whenever I'm down and out, I look forward to just seeing him, because seeing him is comforting. And it kills me knowing there is nothing I can do to help him"

He broke down in tears.

Night had already fallen.

Somewhere detective Scoot was driving to the lab.

A van was carrying the unconscious body of Adam to the ominous lair of the beast where the last act of this nightmare would unfold.

Eddie's tears ran freely down to his cheek, like the raindrops on the glass. Kurt hugged him, trying to comfort him… in vain.

'Where are you Adam' Kurt thought to himself and clenched his jaw tighter.

He woke up from the distant sound of rain drops falling on a window. He opened his eyes trying to focus but it was too dark and too blurry to make out anything. He could still feel his wet clothes clinging on his body and his long blond hair dripping from the cold rain. He rubbed his eyes and soon enough he found his eyesight getting better.

"Hello Adam"

A soft voice startled him. It came from a distance. Adam looked at its direction but it was still too dark to see who it was. He had a slight idea though and he cursed himself silently. How could he have been such an idiot! He had walked into their trap like an ignorant fool!

'Stupid! Fucking brilliant!' he cursed again.

The voice came closer to him this time. Adam sat up blinking, chasing away the last traces of the drug from his system. He looked at the figure standing at the feet of the… bed? He was surprised to find himself lying on a bed without any bonds. He asked himself the reason for this but the voice sounded again interrupting his thoughts before he could react to his new situation.

"I am sorry if the boys were a little rough on you but I'm afraid it was necessary. I don't think you would have come otherwise."

Adam could now see clearly Jacob's face. He looked like someone he knew…

Himself.

So this was his father.

'Pity' the word came to his mind immediately. Jacob looked seriously deranged. He came and sat next to Adam on the bed. His eyes were glowing brightly with something the Adam could not identify, with something Rey had already experienced. He raised his hand and caressed his son's face.

"I am happy you came home at last…my son."

Adam's face twisted with sorrow. He felt a nod forming in his throat. He swallowed hard.

"Father?" his voice came out hoarse. "Where is Rey?"

Jacob smiled. The use of the word father was the best thing he had heard so far in his life. It almost brought him to tears.

"Father…" he whispered just to hear the word again, make sure he had heard it from his own son's mouth. He brought his hand to Adam's mouth and let his fingers trace his lips. Adam tried real hard not to show his repulsion. In that instant something in his mind clicked and an idea started to form; a dangerous and risky plan but one that if played correctly, it could lead him to his love. He made his heart stone, and turning his face, he kissed his father's old fingers, surprising him. Before Jacob could react, Adam leaned forward and took him in his arms.

"Father… I am so happy I found you after all those years." He said hoping to have his father convinced. He squeezed the old man tightly in his arms, his disgust growing. If this was the way that lead to his heart, then he would gladly follow it no matter the cost.

No matter the price.

No matter.

"My son" Jacob whispered to Adam's ear.

'So far so good' Adam thought.

They stayed like this far a few more moments before Jacob broke the hug. He looked deeply into Adam's eyes and Adam tried to look as loving as possible despite the fact that his heart was telling him the exact opposite; how much he hated that man for making Rey suffer. He wanted to bring his own two hands and struggle him, take his last breath and scream to his face for causing them such pain. Instead he asked.

"Where were you all those years father?"

"I was… indisposed" he carefully chose his words. "It was not my choice, but I am hoping to make everything better; get to know you and hopefully make up for all those years I spent away from you. Please forgive me for contacting you this way but I was afraid you might reject me"

"It's OK. The important thing is that I found you"

Adam swallowed hard once again. It was a surreal nightmare coming to life. Growing up he had dreamed, even planned down to the last detail what he would say to his father if he ever met him, but this was far beyond his wildest imagination. He was trying to keep his head together and do what was best to get himself and most importantly Rey out of this devil's lair.

"Father? Why did you take Rey?" he dared to ask.

"I wanted to get to know a little about you before meeting you. I wanted to see what you love and why you love it. Your friend is quite extraordinary. He is so beautiful and so fragile. I can see why you love him so." He said caressing his hair. "Imagine my pleasure when I found out that we have the same taste."

Adam's mind screamed. His heart was racing and he couldn't believe what he was hearing. His own father? Was he saying what he thought he did?

"Taste?" he asked dryly.

"Yes. I needed to know you. So I took something that was yours, something that I know you value most, and tried it for myself… Oh, my son… I was so delighted when I saw this creature… and when I tasted him… I still could feel you on his flesh."

"Father…" Adam used this word deliberately "what did you do?" he asked hesitantly.

"Don't worry my son. Like you said, the important thing is that we found each other. We are finally together that is all that matters."

Adam's face twisted with sorrow. Jacob was surprised to see that. It was something he couldn't understand. He chuckled.

"No… don't tell me that you actually care for the little imp? People like him live only for the pleasure of men like US! My son… they exist only to satisfy our needs. Once they quench our thrist, they die. Like butterflies; as soon as you touch their wings, they cannot fly any more… they cannot exist any longer."

Adam was speechless. In the darkness of the space surrounding him, he felt like he was falling in the void. He felt tears in his eyes, but tried his best to keep them back. And he did. He swallowed them… and felt them salty on his throat. Jacob was looking him, his once loving eyes, now brutal and austerely looking back.

"No" Adam whispered and let his head fall.

"'No' what?" Jacob asked

It took a while for Adam to respond.

"No. I don't care for him. You are right my father… you are right" he spoke, lifting his eyes and starring intensely upon his deranged father.

Jacob smiled widely and squeezed his son's shoulder.

"You are a strong man… although not strong enough. You are holding on to hopeless things… needless things. But you will learn. Together we will start a new life. You will become a new man, stronger, tougher ruthless…a survivor."

He got up from the bed and started walking towards the room's door.

"And it will start now… tonight… come… come with me and take the first step."

Adam stood up awkwardly from the bed, his head still a little dizzy and took a few clumsy steps towards his father. They exited the room and walked down a small corridor. Adam saw an open window a few feet ahead. It was completely dark outside although he had no idea what the time was. He realised he wasn't wearing his watch. He brought his palms discretely to his pockets and searched. Nothing; they had taken his wallet and his cell phone as well.

Adam still couldn't figure out where the hell he was but judging from the style of the house, he should be somewhere far away from the city, probably north, lost in the vast American country, in the middle of a forest. He heard voices coming from a distance. They were male voices, speaking in low tones, but they were silenced once they heard footsteps approaching. Jacob opened a large wooden door to the living room of the house. There they were. Three guys, one of them, Adam recognised immediately.

One was a huge black man, almost 7 feet tall and about 450 pounds. Adam thought he looked disgustingly like the Big Show.

The second one was a thin man, about forty, with no hair and no teeth except a few rotten ones in front. He was smoking eagerly a cigarette, holding it with his yellow smoke painted bonny fingers.

The third one… that one Adam recognised immediately. It was the nurse from the hospital; tall, blond, well-built. His eyes were dark, shadowed from the dim light of the room. He was sitting in a corner, a beer in his hand and few empty bottles scattered at his feet.

"Guys, this is my son, Adam. Son, meet, Anderson, Henry and Jason" he said pointing at the black man, the old man and the nurse in successive order. "They helped you come back home. Their part is almost done here. They have one last thing to do for me and then they will get paid for their valuable services."

The three men didn't react to the old man's words. Perhaps they were used to him by now, or maybe the old man was giving them the creeps. If Adam guessed, it would be the latter. They were scared! And that worried him more because he still hadn't witnessed what he was capable of doing.

Adam didn't speak or nod. He just looked at them and they looked back. Jason was sitting next to a steal door, a door that was barred from the outside with bolts and a lock. The old man's voice woke him up.

"Jason, open the door. Adam is going in."

Adam was startled at this statement. He looked at his father in surprise but hurried to hide it. He could hear the loud pounding of his beating heart clearly in his ears. The sound of the door unlocking with a metallic hissing sound brought him back again to reality.

"Adam, go inside."

"What's inside?" he asked calmly although he could feel his palms sweating freely inside his pockets.

"The end of the old and the dawn of the new. Go inside and say goodbye to your old life."

The last creepy smile was the final clue Adam needed. He was certain that Rey was behind that door. His mind was racing, and he was trying in despair to come up with a plan in case his guess was correct. What he couldn't figure out was his father's behaviour. But he was quick enough to give up trying to understand the ravings of a mad man. Nothing made any sense any more. One thing he knew for sure was that he had to find Rey, the other half of his bleeding heart before it was too late.

The large door opened. Adam had no choice left. He took the first step towards the dark room ignoring the disapproving glances the three men were giving him. Once he came to the door, he was able to see a form lying on the floor at the far wall of the room. The not in his neck almost cut his breath. He prayed to God, this man wasn't who he thought it was.

'Please God.' He repeated in his mind over and over again. The ground under his feet was crisp from the old dust as he entered the room. He didn't turn to look his father; he didn't want to meet his eyes, his approving smile. He didn't need his blessing.

And then time stopped. It was like falling in the void. All sounds disappeared, the crisp ground, the whispers behind him… even the sound of his own heart seamed to have fallen in that same void. Adam was not surprised by his sudden deafness. He didn't care. He stood frozen in the middle of the dark room, unable to move his feet. It took every bit of his strength to stand, not to allow his legs fail him and drop on his knees. He was glad he had his back turned on the others. They never saw his jaw tremble or his eyes sting with tears. His palms became fists in his pockets and his sweat was gone, giving its place to a chilling iciness numbing his body. He didn't know what to do… and he prayed to God for forgiveness.

"Rey?" he asked dryly, realising he as thirsty.

No answer came. The form of Rey did not stir one inch. Somewhere between nightmares, Rey had slipped from the bed onto the filthy floor, his body bent awkwardly, still covered in bruises, cuts and…

'All this blood…'

"Rey?" he called out louder this time, but once more no answer came. Adam could not see his face. He reluctantly took another step closer. Then he saw his face. He let a whimper escape his lips and a tear run down his face. Rey's face wore a mask of torture. It was still swollen from the beatings, bloodied beyond any recognition. There were thin paths of clean skin tracing their way down to his cheeks cleaning the blood, and Adam knew that Rey had been crying. He wasn't sure when exactly his own body gave up. He couldn't stand any more. He knelt beside his love, crying silently. He extended his hand to touch him but he hesitated. Rey's body was all cut open, and he didn't want to cause any more pain. He came close to his face and whispered softly his name. He was trying to bring him back, call him out of the darkness he was put in. He brought his fingers gently on Rey's eyes and swept away all the blood and the tears. Then he heard his breath. It was short, strained and faint. Adam caressed Rey's short hair, feeling the sticky blood between his fingers.

"Oscar… please wake up. It's me… Adam. Please open your eyes…"

For a few minutes, there was no response from the limp form lying on the ground. Adam swallowed his silent salty tears as he kept caressing the Mexican's face from the blood. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what he could do in this place, with those insane people outside watching him, waiting for him to make one false move, one mistake. He knew for a fact that nothing would give those 'animals' more pleasure than to watch him suffer. And he could only guess what they had done to Rey.

But he knew two things for sure. First, he had finally found the person he loved, his soul mate. Second, Rey was dying. Everything else would have to belt with later. He had to get the luchador out of this cold place that was quickly sucking the life out of him. He took Rey in his arms, and he was startled when he heard the familiar voice moaning in pain. He placed him carefully on the bed and whispered again softly in his ear.

"Oscar, my love… it's me."

Rey opened slightly his left eye as far as the swelling would permit him and met Adam's liquid gaze.

"Is this… a… dream?" he asked quietly, his voice coming out rough and bloody.

Adam flashed a wide smile.

"No… you are not dreaming… I am here… here with you!"

"You… you are not real… you… are not… here… this is a dream" he said almost to himself.

"No… I am real. I have come for you" and leaned over kissing his dry lips to prove him wrong. The kisses multiplied and soon Adam was kissing Rey's eyes, tasting the tears and the blood of his love. He gripped Rey's hand tightly in his own.

"I have come to take you home"

Rey closed his eyes shut and sobbed violently, tears escaping him, tracing their way among the dry blood on his face.

"No…" he whispered his voice breaking. "You shouldn't… have come… you… don't…" but he didn't finish the sentence. A cry of pain escaped his lips and he folded in a foetal position gasping desperately for air. It felt like someone had placed a weight of one tone on his chest. Adam felt the panic inside him rise again. He had to get Rey out of this place. His disease was getting worse by the minute.

"Rey please, calm down" he tried to reason, try to get him to slow down but it didn't work. Rey stretched out his naked beaten body on the filthy bed, his palms clutching tightly the torn mattress, frantically trying to take in air to fill his lungs.

But in vain.

And Adam started to cry. Anger rose inside him, hatred, so much loathing and hopelessness, that it almost blinded him. But before he could react, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and faced the man he hated so much.

Jacob was surprised to see his son crying.

"Are you crying?" he asked rhetorically. "My son NEVER cries."

"Why?" Adam asked, his fists shaking from the hate and his vision completely blurred from the tears. "WHY?" he cried out loud a second time.

Jacob's face twisted in anger and madness. His eyes shone brightly with the flame of insanity.

"Because this is necessary for your 'becoming'" he replied naturally.

"Becoming?" Adam asked back ironically. "How could you ever think that I want to become like you?"

"Like me?" Jacob spat back in the same mocking tone. "And what do you suppose I am?"

"You are nothing but a freak of nature… a pervert, a deranged twisted fuck who deserves to rot in hell… who deserves to DIE!" he screamed and lunged forward at him, spearing him across the room, dropping him hard against the concrete wall behind. The impact knocked Jacob almost out cold, but unfortunately took much of Adam's strength away. The three men were quick enough to grab him and pull him off the old man. They punched him in the gut and Anderson held him down, while the other two helped Jacob to his feet. Adam fought back fiercely but Anderson was too heavy and too strong to beat. Soon Jacob rose to his feet spitting out blood. He knelt above Adam's panting face and grabbing his hair, he said breathlessly.

"You are no better than that creature you claim you love. Both of you cry like women… but there is still some strength in you… there is some hope for you… it is only through suffering that you will change; like I was changed so many years ago by my own father."

He got to his feet. He looked at the writhing form of Rey on the bed. He was in so much pain, that he seemed to be oblivious to the events that had just taken place. The pain was consuming him completely, and it took all his strength and concentration to focus on breathing. But he was fading… he was dying… Adam screamed from the despair and jerked his body, trying to escape from Anderson. He caught him by surprise and for a minute Adam thought he had escaped. But he managed to take only one step before Jacob kicked him hard on the gut, knocking him face down on the floor.

"Anderson, God damn, hold him down"

Immediately Anderson was on top of him, grabbing his neck with his arm and twisting his arm behind his back almost breaking it.

"Bring him to his knees. I want him to see."

He was jerked violently to his knees, Anderson's arm still around his neck and his hands arm-locked behind his back. He was using his own knees to hold Adam's legs on the ground and soon, he couldn't felt them.

Adam's heart started pounding fast as he saw his father approach Rey. The other two men were standing near the bed, with a lustful smile on their faces…

They knew what was about to happen. And it excited them. Especially Jason.

"No" Adam screamed but to no avail. No one was paying any attention to him any more. Everybody's attention had turned to Rey.

'No, not this' he thought while he looked at Rey, who now seemed to have noticed the three forms looming above him. He brought his arms before him, with the last bit of his strength to prevent them from devouring him.

And it tore Adam apart to him plead.

"Please… no… no more…" he begged.

Jacob grabbed Rey's stretched out hands and sadistically flipped him over to his stomach. Rey started screaming and crawling to escape. Jason grabbed his hair and pulled his head up, arching his body upwards. He looked straight into Rey's eyes and smiled.

"I've been wanting to do this since the day I saw you!" and unzipping his jeans, he took out his rigid dick.

Rey felt Jacob splaying his legs open. There was no escape any more. With one brutal thrust, he entered Rey. And he screamed. And Jason was there forcing his dick in his mouth.

The nightmare seemed to last for ever. Rey thought he heard Adam scream, but it was too distant to register. Jacob was fucking him again, hurting him, breaking his body to pieces. He was bleeding again. The fast thrusts became fiercer and Jacob's hard dick kept raping him. He wanted to scream but he wasn't able. He couldn't even breathe. Jason was forcing his own hard dick in his mouth, pushing it deeper and deeper cutting off the air. Rey's eyesight was beginning to blur. He tried to forget Adam's presence in the room. It was too much to handle.

He kept his eyes closed and prayed for death.

Adam did scream. He cried out to his father, but he wouldn't listen. His worst nightmare was becoming reality. He would never forget the horrible sound of skin slashing and of flesh flapping in sweat. He wanted to close his eyes and shut out the image of his own father raping the person he loved like an animal, but he resisted. He owed that much to Rey. He had suffered so much and it was all Adam's fault. He was exhausted from the effort and the screaming, but he wouldn't give up. He kept jerking his body, twisting it with all his force, trying to get a break from the huge black man, but he was much stronger than the Canadian.

Then he heard Jacob groaning, letting out animalistic cries and hissing like a snake. Adam looked at him and was disgusted when he realised that Jacob was fucking Rey so hard that he was actually drooling from the excitement. His nails were biting in Rey's wounded flesh, while Jason kept fucking his mouth, pulling his head back, thrusting it deeper and deeper. He was trying desperately to breathe, but there was too much hurt coming too fast.

Adam heard his love moan once from the pain, but he didn't hear anything else. He noticed Rey's eyes rolling back. Then Jacob's body stiffened and he came hard inside Rey. At the same moment Jason began to moan softly. He grabbed Rey's head harder and pulled it further backwards. He came in his mouth with a few final thrusts but he didn't remove his dick right away. He just smiled and pulling Rey's hair demanded him to swallow his come. Rey had no choice. Jason's dick was filling his mouth and there was no way he could spit the sperm out. Disgusted he swallowed all of it. And Jason laughed as he made Rey lick his dick.

When the two men released Rey, his body fell on the bed like a ragged doll. He coughed and he would have thrown up but he had no strength in him. As he lay helpless, he opened his eyes and met those of Adam across the room looking at him in pain and anger. He had been crying. He tried to stay awake but his eyes flickered, feeling the shadows slowly creeping in. He felt ashamed, but most of all he felt sorry but not for himself. He himself had given up hope a long time ago, he had accepted his fate. He knew that his death waited eagerly somewhere in a dim corner to take him away and free him of this torture; and surprisingly death didn't scare him like he thought it would. No, his heart ached for Adam. He would be the one left behind. With the last traces of consciousness he prayed to God for forgiveness.

Then his eyes rolled back and started convulsing wildly. Adam screamed again. His voice echoed loudly against the walls of the room. He struggled to escape Anderson's grip, but Henry's boot on his crotch knocked the wind out of him and he fell breathless.

"Get rid of that thing." Jacob ordered.

Adam felt Anderson getting off of him. He lifted his head and saw the huge black man drag Rey's limp body out of the room. Henry followed with a strange grin on his face. Jacob stood right above the hurting Canadian who just now beginning to feel his strength coming back. Jason was standing near the door, still flushed from the excitement. Adam turned and looked at his father. He had nothing to say to this monster. He wanted nothing to do with him. Everything was moving to fast to catch up. Jacob threw him a look of disdain and started to leave.

"Where are you taking him?" Adam asked the last moment.

"Like Vincent, he has played his part. He is of no more use to us."

"Where are you taking him?" he asked again angrily, clenching his jaw.

He didn't answer. Jason started laughing. He knew something Adam did not.

"We gave him to Henry…" the nurse answered. "After he is done with him, Anderson will take care of the rest." And the door closed, locking him inside alone with his anger, his thoughts and his regrets.

The two men walked out of the cabin. It stood lonely in the middle of a huge dense forest, lost from the civilisation and the city's noise. Anderson was carrying Rey above his shoulder and was walking heavily towards the heart of the forest. Henry was following behind all excited that finally his turn had come.

Henry had grown up in the streets of Detroit, an orphan roaming the criminal side of the city. His life was mystery, even to those who claimed to know him since his youth. He had met the old man in the asylum where he was put because of the demons that haunted him. He had been arrested in his house. A neighbour was complaining about hearing weird noises and screams in the middle of the night. She had called the police. When they had come in, the two police men found him fucking the corpse of a man, long dead and decayed. He had killed him with a knife and removed his organs. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in a psychiatric hospital where he would be treated for Cannibalism, Vampirism and Necrophilia. There he met Jacob. They did spend a lot of time together… after all, in that loony bin he thought that Jacob was the only one that made any sense to him, and he was the only one he could talk to. And Jacob had found something he needed in the crazy skinny man, he confided in him, and with Henry, they had perfected his plan to capture Adam and even had begun arranging the details from inside the walls of the asylum. Henry had all the right connections that would put the plan into motion in the right time. He had however one 'small rule'. If he would use his connections and help the old man, he wanted something in return. When Jacob was released, Henry broke out of the psychiatric hospital a few weeks later and joined him in the USA where they were joined by Jason and Anderson, Henry's 'connections'. Now, Jacob's plan was complete. The old man had in his possession what he wanted and it was Henry's turn to get what he desired, it was his turn to put out the fire eating his insides.

He walked eagerly among the tall trees, small trigs and dry branches cracking under his boots. They advanced further into the forest for about an hour until Henry ordered Anderson to put down Rey. The large black man obeyed and without a single word, turned around and left Henry alone with the dying wrestler.

Henry stayed a few feet away from Rey, waiting until he couldn't hear Anderson's footsteps any more. Then he looked at the fallen man, lying naked on the grass. He wasn't dead yet, but he was sure close to it. This creature was by far the most beautiful one he had the 'privilege' of taking. Henry smiled. He knelt beside Rey and unbuckled his belt. He couldn't wait any longer for Rey to die… besides once he was done with him he would be as lifeless as a wooden puppet. Then he would start over his fun, mutilating the body, feasting on the deceased flesh.

Rey was hardly in touch with reality. He had passed out a long time ago. When he came to, he had not the strength to open his eyes, but he realised that something had changed in his surroundings. He could feel the fresh air, the vivid odour of wet grass, the early morning birds' song, but he couldn't open his eyes. He was too exhausted from the abuse and the loss of blood. He couldn't feel his body any more, his legs were numb, his arms useless… and the burning in his chest was spreading like wildfire. His breaths were short and rare. And he was cold… so cold…

When Henry touched him, his mind didn't register the fingers grappling his skin but he knew he was turned on his stomach because the smell of grass and earth became stronger. He tasted blood in his mouth as Henry pushed his dick inside him, but he made no sound. He couldn't react any more to the abuse. He knew he was dying. Henry raped him with the force of a raging bull, and it was nothing like Rey had felt before. The pain was more than he had experienced so far, but again he did not scream, he didn't even make a sound.

And as he lay on the ground, he opened his eyes so slightly. A single tear traced its way down and watered the earth. All sounds seemed to fade, and he couldn't feel anything… not the cold, not the touch of grass, not the pain in his chest, not Henry tearing him in half. There no sorrow... no pain. The sun was rising, shedding its first rays upon the broken man. Rey felt the warmth of the sun on his face and he closed his eyes again, another tear coming to life.

As he took his last laboured breaths, he thought he heard a child laughing.

Then the blood spilled out of his mouth, and saw no more.

The first thing he heard was a familiar beeping sound next to his ear. He tried to open his eyes, but his strength failed him. He tried to open his mouth, but a tube was stuck right in his throat.

Then the pain shot him with the force of thunder.

And he moaned.

And he was afraid.

But a warm firm hand reached down and touched his front with care, easing him back to sleep. There were lips kissing him, luring him back to sweet slumber.

But Rey was too scared. His eyebrows furrowed in pain and despair and he tried to clutch his bed sheets. He tried so hard to react, to move his body, God even open his eyes, but again his body didn't obey. Terror was the primordial sentiment in command.

Then he heard a voice.

Was he dead?

His mind told him that there is no pain in death… except in hell… but if this was hell, wouldn't it hurt more? Wouldn't he be in so much more pain?

No, he was alive, and this was just the beginning of his nightmare. No matter what the voice told him to soothe him, there were images parading in his mind, images that frightened him, images of horrendous things that had scarred his mind and his body for ever, images of dread, fear and dismay. Rey still felt fingers touching his flesh; he could still feel the raw torture, and those eyes!

A voice inside him screamed…

Then his mind went numb again and fell back to sleep, wishing never to wake up again…

Wishing he was dead.

Adam was sleeping restlessly beside Rey on a chair. He was alone in the hospital room, when Rey stirred waking from his drug induced deep sleep. When he heard the familiar sweet voice, he ran to his side, took Rey's hand in his and whispered his name.

He whispered… like the doctor had said he ought to. After three weeks in a coma, they had informed him that he would be very sensitive to bright lights and loud noises. Adam was whispering Rey's name birth name while caressing his hair.

The first time Rey had come around, it was scary. It wasn't like Adam expected. Rey was having such a violent reaction that the doctors had to drug him back to sleep. And he had slept for two more days. Adam still stayed by his side.

This time when Rey woke up, he was calmer, stronger. The tubes were still feeding his veins with medicine and a machine was still hooked to his mouth, doing the breathing for him, but Adam managed his best smile when Rey opened his eyes. He was too weak to do anything else but give Adam that sleepy gaze, and he understood immediately.

"My love… Oscar… it is alright… go back to sleep… everything is going to be fine…" he whispered.

Rey saw him cry but he couldn't bring his mind to function, he couldn't focus. Everything was a blur.

"You are safe" Adam murmured, "Safe with me. No one can harm you any more."

Rey just starred at the blond Canadian in disbelief. He was too weak, but he moved his hand trying to reach Adam's. He wanted to speak, tell him not to leave him alone, that he was afraid, that he loved him… that he was so very sorry… he despaired and Adam saw it.

"Don't try to speak my king. You are too fragile. You must rest now and I will explain everything when you are feeling stronger, I promise. For now sleep. You are safe."

But Rey blinked and nodded negatively. His chest heaved violently and he started crying again. He didn't want to sleep. Closing his eyes brought back the demons, the devils with the haunting eyes. He clutched Adam's hand firmly, never wanting to let go. It was too much to handle.

He didn't want to go back to sleep.

"Oscar, please hear me. It's alright. Please don't cry. I am here; I am not leaving you alone. But you have to calm down. You are still very sick."

Rey's breathing became harder as the memories hit him hard like a freight train. He was out of control. Adam couldn't bring him back, not yet. He called for the doctor and soon afterwards Rey was slipping back into his slumber.

The days passed and Rey's health seemed to be deteriorating. The doctor took Adam in his office and told him bluntly Rey didn't seem to want to live.

"It is up to you Mr Copeland to drag him out of the hell he finds himself into right now. As long as he stays there, there will be no recovery. And it has to happen soon. I know what happened… the police told me and I am very sorry. I understand what he has been through, and I honestly can't blame him for wishing to die. But he has to fight his way out of it. There is nothing I can do any more."

"What can I do?" Adam asked worriedly.

"Everything… anything… Each time he wakes up, there is a nightmare waiting. It is up to you to find a way and fight his nightmares, fight his battles with him."

When he had returned to the hospital room Adam sunk back into his chair. He too had his own demons to face. But Rey came first. He brought his chair next to Rey's bed and fell asleep holding his hand.

The feeling of moving fingers woke him up. Rey was awake again, calm, his eyes wide open looking back at Adam with a clarity he hadn't seen in the luchador for a long while. Adam smiled dashingly.

"Good morning mighty mouse. How are you doing today?"

From beneath the oxygen mask, Adam thought he saw him smile faintly. He had to hurry up before Rey fell into depression again.

"The guys were asking about you. They missed you… even the Olympic Zero missed you."

He paused. He figured this was the time to explain. Rey was waiting eagerly.

"I suppose I ought to explain a few things. Like how you got here and how we escaped… well, to make a long story short, detective Scott found out that Jacob had once an abandoned cabin and coming searching for clues, he bumped into Jacob. The police found me there… they… they killed Jacob and Jason, the nurse on the spot. Then we started looking for you. That black man, Anderson and Henry had taken you outside and they were nowhere to be found. We looked everywhere. We found you deep into the woods, almost dead and… and… cut open…" He took a deep breath. "You have been in a coma for three weeks. But the doctors say you are doing fine. You are still weak and unwell, but there is no reason why you shouldn't get better. After all, I am here with you. And together, we will get through this. Together."

Rey felt tears sting his eyes.

"I know it is too much to handle, but there is no hurry. We will take it slow and take one step at a time. But you have to help me Oscar. You have to let me in, let me fight beside you this nightmare."

He could tell that Rey wanted to speak. He leaned closer to his face and gently pulled out the oxygen mask. Under the laboured gasps for air, his cracked voice mumbled.

"'m…sorry."

"No my king … no… what do you have to be sorry about? I brought it onto you. I should be the one apologizing… but for heaven's name, not you… you, my love, are perfect. I love you too much to let you take all the hurt…to let you take all the pain."

Rey opened his mouth to speak again, but he couldn't breathe any more without the oxygen. The gasps for air became more rapid and strenuous. Adam placed the mask back.

"Don't speak my love. I know it is hard… I know… I am here now; and I am not leaving you… you are stuck with me I'm afraid… and a horde of wrestlers in serious need of psychiatric attention!" Adam joked and his heart skipped a beat in joy when he saw Rey smile faintly.

Their eyes locked for a while, starring, searching to find each other's soul and hold onto that. Rey knew it would be difficult to recover, that it would be hard to chase away those images away from his mind. His body would eventually heal… eventually.

His soul was another story.

Rey noticed a silver cross placed carefully on the table beside his bed. He took it and held it firmly against his chest. He smiled, because he realised who had placed it there…

A knock on the door broke his thoughts and without waiting for an answer, Eddie's head popped in.

"You awake?"

As this was a rhetorical question, Eddie walked right in smiling happily. Rey saw beneath it and realised that Eddie was faking it because he didn't want to make him sad or miserable. By now he had a pretty good idea how bad he looked. Those who knew the truth, he could see their pity in their eyes. But it was alright. For Rey it was enough that Eddie was here too, with him, doing his best… whatever that was…

Eddie walked in and whispered.

"How are you?"

"Eddie?" Adam asked, "Why are you whispering?"

"Because visitors are not allowed at this hour esse… it is late. But I had to see rey rey… I had to give him a few things from the guys."

Eddie was holding a big paper shopping bag which he placed on the bed. He put his hand in and pulled out a fluffy duck…

"This toy 'duck' is from Kurt…"

Adam raised his eyebrows in surprise

"Kurt? A duck?"

"Don't ask…his name is 'Oscar'! Imagine that… it says so on the name tag! And don't look at me like that Adam… "

Rey took the duck in his hands. It was soft, yellow and fuzzy. There was a red tag on its chest with the name 'Oscar'. Rey pushed it. All three men were startled when the duck started quacking. Quickly Rey put it under the covers to silence the noise. He didn't want the nurses coming in the room and kicking Eddie out…He had presents to see!

Adam looked at Rey and smiled. His face was glowing. He was happy that all traces of pain were gone from his face. Eddie had a miraculous effect on Rey.

The duck ceased its noise and Rey pulled it back outside. He was smiling happily… like a small child on his birthday!

Eddie was laughing his ass off.

"That man is needs therapy!" Adam stated.

"Everyone wanted to buy you something, but I figured it would be best if they gave you something to remember them by. So…Rene gave me a little French flag, JBL a cigar to celebrate once you leave the hospital saying it goes with a bottle of Champaign he is saving for you, John gave me his RUCK FULES baseball cap, Kenzo his Japanese bandana, Undertaker his Dead Man t-shirt… there is a lot of stuff in the bag. I will leave it to you to figure out who sent you what! I suppose it will keep you busy for a while… oh… I almost forgot. Torrie asked me to give you her present along with a kiss… but I will just give you her present… I'll leave it to Romeo over there to give you your kiss."

Eddie grabbed a small box from the bag. He opened it and took out a small 'Master View'. On his other hand he held a bunch of 'slides'.

"Do you remember those Rey? We had toys like these when we were kids… Torrie and Billy made these slides from pictures they had taken from the days of WCW until today. You just slip them into the Master View, hold it towards the light and watch the pictures. I don't know how they did it, but the slides are 3-D."

Eddie paused. He looked at Rey. He slowly took a step back and turned to leave, but he hesitated. Rey reached out his hand towards the Latino Heat. Then Eddie saw it; the chain tangled in Rey's fingers and the silver cross in his palm. Rey kept holding his hand out inviting Eddie to take it.

And he took a step closer.

And grabbed Rey's hand, clutching the cross between their palms.

And he broke down in tears.

Eddie knelt beside the bed and cried… and cried…burying his face in Rey's hands. Adam stood up and left quietly the room, leaving the two long time friends alone.

Eddie didn't cry long. He wiped the tears away from his face and looked at the luchador. He too was crying. They didn't speak a word, they didn't need to. They had said all they needed to say with their eyes. They had spent a lifetime together, they had grown up, cried, laughed, hurt, bled together. Eddie stayed on his knees for a long time, holding Rey's hand in his own, like praying. This cross was the best gift Eddie could have done to his friend.

The cross signified everything Rey believed in. It belonged to Rey back when he was in WCW and he had given it to Eddie when was fighting his addiction, saying to him that "Pain and fear can only destroy you. Only faith can help you survive". Eddie found out later that Rey was right. Even though their ways had parted briefly, he still had the cross. And during the dreaded car accident, he still had the cross. He recovered only because his family and his friends had faith in him, because they loved him. Faith had saved his life.

Now he was giving the cross back to Rey. He needed faith to survive, he needed his friends, their love, he needed all they could offer him.

Eddie smiled and wiped away the last wet traces of the tears from his face.

"Rest now mi colibri… get well… because I'll be wanting this cross back…"

He kissed his feverish forehead and left the room quietly. Adam was sitting right outside, waiting patiently. He looked at the Latino Heat and nodded gratefully. Eddie sunk to the chair next to him. Adam patted his shoulder and silently stood up to enter the room. Eddie grabbed his hand and stopped him. They looked each other in understanding.

"I call you in the morning…" Adam informed the Latino. He opened the door and before closing it he thanked Eddie.

Rey was sleeping, the yellow duck lying next to him, and his hands still holding the cross. Adam took the toy in his hands and smiled.

'Now that is disturbing' he thought to himself, while the image of a smiling Kurt holding the duck popped in his mind. He placed it on the table next to Rey and returned on his chair by the bed. It was very late and the comfortable warmth of the room lured him to sleep

A tremble woke him suddenly from his sleep, startling him to his feet. It was still very early in the morning, perhaps too early. Quickly, he put his head together and focused his attention on his surroundings.

Then his heart stopped.

There was Rey lying on the bed, shaking uncontrollably, his oxygen mask taken off! Some time in the middle of the night, Rey had woken up and found Adam sleeping next to his bed. He had managed to take his mask off, tried to call his love by name, but the lack of air had stopped him. Unable to move any more and put the mask back on, Rey had spent almost two hours fighting for air. The last thing he remembered before going on a seizure was feeling a cold hand grip his neck and cut his respiration off completely. Then he lost all control.

Adam had woken up and found his lover shaking violently, his eyes rolled back. He quickly put the mask back on and then hurried outside calling madly for the nurse or a doctor… somebody to come to his rescue.

Returning to the room, Rey was not shaking any more. His body just lay on the bed, non -moving, helpless and limp. Adam approached him, tears filling his eyes, and took Rey's hand in his. Then sobbing began and all he could do was mumble and beg.

"Please don't go… please don't go… please… please… please…"

He never heard the doctor and the nurses coming into the room. He was pushed out from the room and was told to wait.

The minutes that passed seemed like an eternity. With trembling hands, he dialled Eddie's cell number.

"Eddie…"

"What? Adam is that you?" he asked sleepily.

"You… you… have to come now." He stuttered between the sobs, failing to control his tears. Eddie never responded. He just hung up and left the hotel running.

When he got there, Adam was still waiting a few feet away from Rey's room. He couldn't see inside, and no one had come out to tell them anything. Almost an hour had passed when a doctor came out. Both men held their breaths, waiting.

"Mr Gutierrez has ruptured the blood vessels that connect his lungs."

They looked at him in surprise. They looked at the doctor like he had just spoken in a different language.

"It means that the small veins in and surrounding his lungs have ruptured… broken… and blood filled his lungs. It's like drowning. We managed to take out most of the blood from his lungs and have him back on support."

"Excuse me doctor" Adam interrupted. "MOST of the blood?"

"Yes. Mr Gutierrez is in a coma. He is stabilised for now, but this seizure had caused a lot trauma. We need to operate him as soon as possible if we want to save his lungs. If he looses his lungs, he will need a transplant. And given the length of the list of the patients waiting for one… things are not looking good for your friend."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"We need the consent of his family."

"But his family is miles away… they are in Mexico… by the time they get here, it will be too late…" Eddie shouted.

"Doctor please, can't you do something? We are all he has right now. Please we will sign everything you need." Adam said begging the doctor, pleading him.

The doctor looked at them and sighed. He knew who they were and the history behind his special patient. It was a big risk to take, operating without a written consent, but he was willing to take it. He didn't want to see his patient die. As far as he could see it there was only one way to go, and that was operate. He nodded.

"OK. But I will need someone's signature."

"I'll sign" Eddie offered and he was quickly lead by the doctor into an office, leaving Adam alone outside Rey's room. Two nurses went inside and as the door swung to close, he put his hand and stopped it, taking a peek. Rey was on the bed, with a bigger machine hooked to his body. There were different sounds coming from the machine. One was from his heart, a small line that arched every so often to his heart rate, which Adam thought it was getting slower. Another sound, a creepier one, was coming from the oxygen contraption, going up and down each time Rey took a laboured inhalation. The nurses were ignoring Adam standing by the door, preparing their patient meticulously for the operation. But for Adam the rest of the world had ceased to exist. His eyes only looked the lump in the bed, his Rey who now seemed so small, so fragile. Everything else was a blur. He wanted to walk up to him and squeeze him in his arms; see his face and look into his big brown eyes; kiss those lips and be kissed back.

"Can I have a minute with him, please" he said softly.

The nurses walked out, reminding him that he had only a few moments before they took him upstairs. They left closing the door silently.

And there he was. Alone… again…

His palms were sweating and he rubbed them against his jeans to wipe them. He was nervous…

'Nervous?'

And sad.

No, he wasn't nervous, he was afraid… afraid that this might actually be the last time he would see his king of mystery alive. He had no words to speak. A knot was eating all the words coming to his throat. He stood above Rey and stretched out his hand to reach him. He was trembling. He cursed himself for not being strong enough and closing his eyes, he sighed helplessly. He bent over the immobile form of the luchador and opened his eyes. How he wished just this once, even if it was the last one, that he could gaze into his eyes, and maybe, maybe he would get lost for ever inside them… just this one time… and then he could die in piece. But Rey's eyes were closed, keeping his soul imprisoned in a cold nightmare. For it was a nightmare, Adam had no doubts about it. He just knew that Rey was tormented even now, even in this dying state. And he let a tear slip down his cheek. Why did everything have to be so difficult and so painful? Why couldn't he take some of Rey's pain? Everything hurt… everything… and no matter what he told himself, he knew he was the one to blame. He tried to fight off the idea, chase away the thought that if hadn't been for him, for his selfishness… his love… Rey wouldn't be in this condition… His own father had done unspeakable things simply because he loved his son in a twisted way… he had no idea how he would be able to live with himself. It was then that the guilt finally settled in. He continued to gaze the small Latino, his hand trembling above Rey's face, like fighting with the idea of a simple caress. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all, maybe his presence here only made things worse. Perhaps, he wasn't any help at all, but a simple raw reminder of the hell Rey was fighting to put behind. His fingers didn't find their way through Rey's hair, nor on his burning feverish front. He just took a step back and kept starring at Rey, all alone, with his demons to haunt him.

He had no idea how long he had been standing there, looking at Rey. He never heard Eddie coming inside. It was the Latino's familiar voice that brought him to his senses.

"Don't do this" he advised the Canadian.

Adam looked back in surprise.

"Do what?"

"Blame yourself."

"If it is not me, then who is to blame, Eddie? If I wasn't in his life, if it hadn't been for me, he would still be alive." Adam asked softly never looking at Eddie.

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes" he replied firmly behind closed teeth, fighting back those tears again.

"But it was you who saved him from almost dying when his family left him."

"Eddie, he is dying now anyway. The difference is, now he has a lot more nightmares plaguing his mind."

"Do you really want to play the blame game right now? Will it help him? Do you think he feels that way? Do you think he blames you for everything that's happened?"

Adam shook his head negatively.

"No… he blames himself."

"What does that tell you?"

"I can't let him do that Eddie… he has to realise that if it wasn't for me, if WE hadn't happened that night then he would still be alive…"

"No" Eddie cut him off "you still don't know him at all. I have known him for years, and he always does the same thing… always. When he loves, he gives a part of himself to the one he cares about. He lost half his life when Angie took the kids and left… Adam, it took me a lot of time to accept, but you are the best thing that has happened to him. He gave you all he had, everything… and you helped him survive… SURVIVE… and nothing is more important than that. You now hold his heart in your hands… don't back down now. His love runs too deep to let you suffer. He takes all the pain for himself even if it is not his fault. That's what he did with Angie and the kids, and that's what he does now with you. He takes it all, he keeps it inside, all of it… all the pain… in the end it ends up being a constant in his life. He always expects the worse to happen. Please Adam, help me prove him wrong. Help me prove him that there is some good in this world that is actually worth fighting for; that there are people who care for him as strongly as he does for them."

Adam was now looking deep into Eddie's eyes.

"Rey has a rare gift. He let's nothing bring him down because he has faith… he has faith in the people around him, in us Adam. He has us to love him. And his love is so strong that finally in wipes away all the hurt. I can see it every time he sees you Adam. The moment he sets his eyes upon you, there is no pain, no doubts, no suffering. Like I said, I've known him for many years, and by now I can read him like an open book. He looks at you, and his eyes shine… I can see the Rey I met years ago, loving, innocent… happy… When you look into his eyes, what do you feel?"

Adam did not speak.

"If it is pain that you feel, if it is pity, then he is doomed. Adam… Rey has always been there for me… always… and this is my chance to stand by him. I am proud to be able to look at him with LOVE, not pity and help him through this with as few scars as possible. But if you can not do that, then this is the time to leave. He will not survive if he wakes up and sees you look at him the way you did when I walked into this room. That is why I didn't let anyone come to visit him. Rey needs love, not pity… LOVE Adam! Can you give it to him?"

Adam looked back down at Rey. He had to look inside and listen to his heart. He knelt down on the floor and took Rey's hand in his own. And he smiled… he smiled with happiness. There was pity for the fragile creature, but the love was so much bigger, so much stronger that it filled him completely, it filled his soul. He wanted to kiss his lips, but the oxygen mask was covering half his face. He just kissed his forehead softly with a kiss that seemed to go on forever.

Rey was still holding the silver cross when the nurses came in and wheeled him out of the room the OR. Eddie was then left alone with Adam. Adam started to leave the room, but before exiting he realised he hadn't given his answer to Eddie. He turned around and calmly, tenderly replied.

"Never doubt my feelings for Oscar… never again…" and left.

Eddie stared at the empty room, towards the closed door.

He smiled and looked out of the window. The sun was shining brightly after all those days of rain. And the sky seemed to shine clearer. Even in this hospital, in the middle of the loud, thick city, there was still hope.

Hope.

He exited the room, locking all his fears and doubts away, and joined Adam in the lobby. It would be a long day.

They had no idea how long Rey was in the OR. They had stopped counting the hours a long time ago. On occasions Eddie would call Rey's parents to give them an update. Some time later, the elevator doors opened and Kurt with Rob came out. They saw the two exhausted men sitting in the waiting area, alone. They approached them and numbly sat with them silently. From all the wrestlers, Kurt and RVD where the only ones who knew the truth.

The truth?

Adam didn't think they had any idea what the real truth was. They hadn't seen the cabin in the middle of the woods, they hadn't seen Rey being tortured and raped by his own father like some piece of trash. They hadn't seen him bleed… and they hadn't heard him scream…

And he could still hear those screams; the images came crushing like a freight train. It was too much to handle. Just too God damn much. He kept seeing over and over the rape, and the abuse. Rey's voice was echoing loudly. He cupped his face with is hands.

A few more minutes passed and Kurt went to phone Vince. When he came back he had a really sad look on his face. He cleared his throat to get the other men's attention. They looked at him and just knew that something had gone wrong.

"What is it?" Rob found the guts to ask.

"It is out" he just replied.

"Oh no" Rob exasperated "How?"

"What?" Eddie asked not realising what was the point of the discussion so far. Adam was feeling exactly the same thing.

"I just spoke to Vince. The story about Rey is out. The whole story… the truth… everything…"

Adam buried his face deep in his hands.

"How is that possible?" Rob asked.

"I don't know. Probably someone talked; maybe someone from the police. Who knows? The fact is that they know. Vince told me that the press is having a field day with this. They are outside the hospital as we speak… I'm sorry."

"Fuck" Adam cried out loud and stormed out of the lobby. It was late the afternoon and soon it would be night time. He walked away from the three men, feeling so upset and angry. It was like a freaking disease. It only seemed to get worse and worse and spread further and further… never giving them a break, never a moment's piece. Like the whole world was against him and Rey.

He stood a few feet away from them, and they respected his need for privacy. He burned with anger.

'How are we going to deal with this?' Adam knew Rey would be destroyed after this. It was out… everyone knew about it? Everyone? It would kill him. His anger rose into such proportions that his eyes began to burn. His knees folded and he sank against the hospital wall.

The doctor came out a few minutes later. He approached them confidently.

Everything had gone according to plan.

"He will be fine. Just give him a few days to get his strength back. You can see him when we return him to his room"

They saw them wheel Rey back to his room. The four men where looking from a distance. They dare not come closer.

"This is all my fault" Adam said and separated himself from his friends. He entered the room with a self-confidence they hadn't seen him have in a long time. The door closed behind him and they remained outside, waiting.

Rey lay sleeping, out of touch from reality for three days. Adam never did leave his side… ever…

When he opened his eyes, everything was blurry. He blinked a couple of times. He managed to focus his eyesight. There was complete silence in the room, nothing was heard. He was glad there weren't any lights on. He tried to open his mouth, but a tube was inside his throat. He traced it with his tongue and realised it was going all the way down to his throat. But he was again grateful he had no oxygen mask on.

He focused his mind. The last thing he remembered was the Adam sleeping and him fighting for air. Now, it seemed like nothing had changed. Adam was still sleeping in the same chair next to his bed. He wanted to cry out to him, but a soft moan escaped his lips.

Adam was on his feet instantly. He was sleeping very lightly anyway. When he saw Rey awake, he just smiled.

"Hello Oscar"

Rey was bit confused still. He continued to look back at the Canadian.

"Don't try to speak. Just blink once for yes and twice for no. OK?"

Blink.

"Are you in pain?"

Blink.

"Where does it hurt Rey Rey? Your chest?"

Blink… Blink…

"Should I call the doctor?"

Blink… Blink…

Then he knew. Rey referring to is aching heart.

"Rey… please don't dot his to yourself. It is not your fault."

Rey moved his fingers slightly. He wanted to touch Adam. And he took his fragile hand in his own, squeezing tightly.

"I know what you are thinking. Don't do this to yourself. Please… Oscar…"

Still, hearing after all this time his love speak out loud his birth name sent shivers up and down his spine. He still loved it and his heart skipped a beat when he heard it from his lips. Those lips and those beautiful eyes! Just seeing the blond man hovering above him with such passion and love, made him almost forget his pain and his nightmares.

Blink.

"Yes? Yes what?"

Blink… Blink…Blink… Blink… Blink… Blink…

Rey smiled slightly.

"I knew you talked too much. I finally got you to bed and now I can't get you to shut up! You Mexicans!" he smirked.

Then he got serious.

"I know Rey Rey… I know…"

Blink…

"I love you too. Now sleep."

The days passed quickly and Rey was beginning to find his strength return slowly but steadily. The tubes were all removed and he breathed without the mask. He was still weak from the surgery and the doctor had decided to keep him a couple of weeks for observation.

The others figured they had to tell him soon about the press and the fact that the incident had been every day on the news for the last week. Vince and the WWE had made no official announcement. They wanted Rey to know first and decide himself what he wanted his fans and the world to know. Still, Adam was scared of telling him. He felt like he was putting the last nail to Rey's coffin. After all, a man could handle so much before snapping. After much discussion and fighting, Eddie insisted on being the one to tell him.

"I should be the one to let him know about this. I cannot allow you Adam to take this one on your shoulder too… let me at least carry this burden for you… please…"

Silently, they agreed. Adam was too tired to fight back any more. He had let himself go a long time ago and just accepted the blows as they came. Nothing made any difference to him any more; nothing mattered… only Oscar did. Only him. As long as he was alive, as long as he breathed and he was able to stare into his eyes that glowed like fire, he was happy… he needed nothing more… he wanted nothing more.

Eddie knocked softly on the door and entered the room. It was dark because Rey was still sensitive to light and to noise. Eddie looked at his dear friend and forced a smile. It was hard to pretend. After all those days in the hospital, he still bore the marks of hell. He had no idea how Rey could smile like a child after everything that had happened to him.

His heart missed a few beats when he saw Rey smile at him. He was wearing the silver cross around his neck and the nurses had left him wear undertaker's black t-shirt. Eddie thought that it only made his bruises show more. The nasty cuts on his face were slowly healing, and he could only guess about the rest of his body. Let alone his soul. He came close to him, smiling back and cocking his eyebrow, like he always does when he is right about something.

"Hey!" Rey whispered.

Eddie sat next to him on the bed.

"How are you filling today, my dear?" he joked.

"Like a strawberry!"

Eddie laughed. Then silence fell and he hated it. He had to find a way to say it.

"Eddie? What is it man? What is wrong?" Rey could always read his friend like an open book. Eddie could never hide his feelings. After all that is why they called him Latino Heat. "Just tell me"

"Rey I am sorry…someone talked and…"

He looked at Rey. The precious smile had gone, disappeared. A mask of sadness now covered his beautiful face, his chest heaving vividly.

"Rey I am sorry… they know everything…"

A sob escaped the small Mexican. Rey didn't want to cry any more, but this was something he did not expect. He could not pretend, he could not restrain is grief. Tears of sorrow filled his eyes as he began to cry. Eddie leaned over and hugged him. To his surprise Rey hugged him back tightly and held onto him for dear life, never wanting to let go. Eddie closed his eyes and held his friend tightly. He knew this was enough; he knew that Rey would ask for nothing more than this simple human touch… nothing. And he would give Eddie back the world in gratitude.

They stayed like this for a long time, just holding each other, crying, until Rey exhausted fell asleep. Eddie looked him back. Rey's face was still moist from the tears and the sadness. He caressed his front, sweeping the traces of sweat and then softly wiped away the tears, careful not to wake him up. He stayed with him for a while and then left the room. He needed to breathe some fresh air, before the hospital choked him. He passed Adam sitting outside and nodding him to enter; he left the building from the parking lot, using his rental car to avoid the annoying journalists and the cameras.

Adam entered the room quietly and sat on his chair as always next to his lover. He looked at him intensely. By now he had learnt by heart every little scratch, bruise, cut, curve and dimple he had on his face. Rey was sleeping most of the time since his surgery and Adam had spent many hours just starring at the luchador. But he had not dared to touch him, not yet. He had held his hand many times, but how he longed to kiss those lips again, run his fingers along his body and worship him once more. Every part of his body and his mind screamed from the longing, the passion and the love. But an unknown force was keeping his hand back, restraining his body. Perhaps he was afraid that Rey did not want him. Maybe after all that misery, he didn't want to be touched again. Maybe Rey didn't love him any more… he cursed himself for feeling like a little school girl who needed confirmation all the time about Rey's feelings. Still… he wanted to hear him say it. They hadn't really spoken since his surgery because he was too weak. He didn't really know how he felt. If Eddie was right, then he couldn't just let Rey take all the blame. He had to force him to share his load, take some of the pain and help him as much as he could by loving him.

"You think too much, you know that?" Rey's tired voice woke him up.

Adam lifted his head and smiled bitterly. He opened his mouth to open, but Rey cut him.

"I have heard what all of you had to say. I heard Eddie, Rob, Vince… even Kurt… and I have heard you… although you did not say much, I sure understood a lot."

"Rey…"

"No Adam… this is the time for me to speak."

"You have to rest."

"Please hear me out… please… "

Adam fell silent. Only he knew how much he was afraid of this moment. The uncertainty of what was coming was unbearable and he didn't know if you could handle it if Rey told him to go away. He looked at his dark brown endless eyes piercing his soul, reading his feelings like an open book and then he broke down. Tears were streaming down Rey's face, silver priceless pearls.

"No, Rey please don't cry" Adam begged as he grabbed his hand, consoling him.

"No…" Rey said between his sobs. "Adam I… love you… and I'm sorry to lay it upon you like this. I love you so much it hurts. And if you leave me I don't know if I'm gonna make it through this. I need you to guide me through this darkness inside my mind. Back then… in the…" he paused, his mind refusing even to speak about it "all I kept thinking was you, all that kept me going was you. When my mind failed me, only the memory of you kept me alive. And when I prayed for death, I only regretted to leave you behind…"

"Oscar don't speak these words… you are not dead, my love. You are here with me… and to hear you speak to me again with so much love! I thought I had lost you for ever… I love you so much… and if you died I would follow you into the very depths of hell if I had to just to be with you… But Oscar, you have to let me in, you have to let me share this nightmare… it is not possible to carry it on all on your shoulders alone."

Rey's tears were sliding down his face freely, his silent sobs chocking him. Then Adam knew. There was no doubt any more. He knew that Rey loved him as much as he did. Beyond all reason, beyond any terrifying memory, they loved each other. In this terror, their relationship would get stronger, more powerful. Nothing would break it, nothing would shatter it.

Adam got finally lost into Rey's eyes and it felt like bliss. Pure happiness.

"I love you Oscar…I missed you…"

"I love you…"

Adam approached Rey and let his lips touch softly those of the luchador. They felt like silk. He kissed them gently, soft small butterfly kisses that slowly turned into strong, powerful kisses. He got closer to Rey, feeling the passion growing inside them both. Their tongues met again for the first time in a long time, each man savouring the other's mouth, the taste they missed, the touch they longed for. Adam felt a burning inside his stomach from the desire and just by looking at Rey he could tell he had the exact same craving. Their kiss deepened and Adam let his hands trail down to Rey's body. His fingers caressed his neck and his shoulder's and came to a halt above his chest. He broke the kiss and looked into Rey's eyes.

"I don't want to lose you again."

"You won't" Rey answered.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

He leaned over and placed his head on his chest. Rey caressed his long blond hair and rested his weak hand on his lover's head. Adam felt so peaceful at that moment. He knew it wouldn't last for long. They still had a mountain to climb.

"Rey?" he said not lifting his head.

"Yeah?"

"What are going to do? With the press I mean?"

"Nothing."

He lifted his eyes and looked in surprise.

"What do you mean nothing?"

"I am not going to tell them anything. All they know is I am in the hospital. For al they can tell I might as well be having my knee scooped up."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Given the alternative? Yes."

"But they are going to ask why they weren't told before? Rey you must at least deny the…"

Rey got angry.

"The what? The tortures? The rape? Adam I don't have to tell them a fucking thing! Why should my life be public domain? Why should I lay my soul bare to them? What do I owe them…" he tried to continue but a cough rose to his neck and cut him off.

"Please Oscar… calm down. Don't shout… it is alright…" he gently stroked his chest, half warming him up half calming him. "We will do what you want. Just don't get upset."

Rey lay back on the bed and managed to get his breathing under control. It was difficult to do so at first but Adam's presence really soothed him.

"I am sorry." He uttered painfully after a while, gasping heavily.

"Stop saying that. You have nothing to be sorry about. I understand. If this is what you want then I'm going to stand by you. I just wanted you to know that you are going to come face to face with them, the press I mean whether you like it or not. If you don't want them to know, then you will have to lie to them; lie to the press, the fans and the roster, your friends Oscar."

Rey was silent just gazing at the tall Canadian. He knew he was saying the truth.

"I am not saying you should tell them the truth, Oscar, I don't want to tell them the truth. This pains me too you know. No one has said anything so far, not me, not Vince, not Eddie, no one. We all waited for you. But they have seen us come here day in day out and we have never talked to them. But this is not the point."

"What is the point of this discussion?"

"Rey what you tell them is not important. What counts is you. In the end, all that matters is your heart and your soul. It is you who has to heal. On the outside but on the inside too."

"What about you Adam? Will you heal?"

Adam smiled. He didn't see that coming. But it only made sense. It was typical of Rey. When he suffered most, he put the well being of his friends above his own.

"Don't change the subject Rey-Rey. We are talking about you."

"I know. I just don't want to look into your eyes and watch you blame yourself."

"Please… don't go there… please…" Adam begged. It hurt him to hear those words. Words he was thinking every passing second, words he dare not admit even to himself.

"No Adam. Don't do this. You are so good at giving advice, but you are not able to follow you own. Is that right?"

Adam buried his face in the hospital sheets and wept.

"How can I not? It was my father who did this to you?"

"That is right Adam. Your father, NOT you. Please stop crying. We both have cried too much and too long. I am tired. I just want to put this behind me."

Adam smiled bitterly and sniffing back his tears, he leaned and kissed Rey's lips.

But it didn't matter how badly Rey wanted to put it behind him. Words remained words and he began to realise slowly that it was harder than he thought. Every time he closed his eyes, the images were there, scaring him, haunting him, eating him alive. Each dream was diseased with bleeding images. He could still feel the cold grasp of the Gordian Knot, the macabre dance of the flail upon his flesh and the frozen touch of Jacob. His ears could still hear his voice talking to him, making him say things he didn't want to, making him do things… making him wish he was dead. Rey tried hard not to fall asleep. He was afraid of sleeping. Jacob might be dead, but he was alive in his head and even Adam presence in the room was not enough to keep HIM away.

And Adam suffered. Each time Rey fell asleep, he was having nightmares. He was writhing, tossing and turning, sweating, mumbling things… and words… terrible words… words that made Adam's blood freeze in is veins, turned his heart into stone. But as soon as Rey was awake he didn't talk about them. He refused them even to himself. Adam figured it was some kind of defence mechanism, protecting his sanity from going over the edge. But he kept his silence. And all he was allowed to do was hold his hand, and be there for the man he loved. He had no idea how much that helped the small Mexican.

It was his last night in the hospital and he couldn't sleep. He had convinced Adam to go and get some decent night's sleep in his hotel room. Adam didn't want to leave him alone, but he respected his wish and left promising that he would be back early the next morning to pick him up.

Now, he was left all alone in the hospital room, alone for the first time. And the silence was deafening. But it was something he had to do. He had to start living on his own again, with his fears and his ghosts. He had to start preparing himself for the inevitable fact of socializing and trying to get on with his life. And for some reason he always pictured himself alone in this battle. His mind didn't register yet the fact that he was not alone, that he had his friends with him, he had Adam. His eyes shot open at the memory of him. All traces of sleepiness were gone. He realised he held Eddie's silver cross in his hand. He had taken it off his neck and was holding it in his palm tightly. Then he realised he hadn't prayed to God in a long time.

He got off his bed and stepped towards the window. He wasn't surprised to find his body weak, aching in every move he made, but despite the pain, he made it to the window. It was dark outside, the night sky was completely black, starless and a huge cloud was covering the moon. There was nothing up there to look at, no point of reference, like a huge shade had covered every light. He turned his gaze down to the city spreading before him. There, he saw millions of little lights, cars, streets, buildings… With his heart's eye, he could imagine hundreds of people driving home, couples walking holding hands, children going to sleep cuddled warmly in their beds with their mums giving them the day's last kiss… children… He had his own once… He looked down at the silver cross. He closed his eyes and let a sob escape him, but nothing more. How he missed them, their laugh, their shining eyes, holding them, kissing them…

'Where are they now?' he asked himself. He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed to God for forgiveness. He prayed for strength and courage. And he prayed for his children to find happiness again, even if that was away from him… that last thought broke him down. It was unbearable to admit it. It was all too much to handle. He slipped down on the floor and fell on his knees, somehow the cross escaping his grasp. His body trembled. Was it from the cold? Somehow he doubted it. It wasn't the temperature of the room but his own heart. It couldn't bear the fact that he was alone. He felt an icy chill run through his body; he sat down on the floor and brought his knees close to his body to warm up.

He was alone, tonight. And he would have to learn to live with his loneliness, his guilt, his fears. Adam said he loved him, but as soon as he found out the darkness in his soul, he would get spooked and run away from him. He would stop loving him and leave him on his own, lost forever. If even Rey himself couldn't face this, if he was afraid of dealing with it, how could he expect Adam to help him? No… he knew that Adam's patience and love would soon run out, that he would abandon him if he saw his misery. And this was something he will not be able to handle. Rey's fear grew with this thought. But how can he live without him? How? He knew he will not survive tomorrow without him. All that was left from his heart belonged to Adam now.

Sitting there alone he made his decision.

He will be with Adam for as long as his lover wants it to. He will give him everything he has… everything and he will ask nothing in return. He needs to love him desperately and needs his love to survive. Without it he is lost... dead… nothing… And he will hold onto him as long as he can. When the dreaded day of separation comes, for it will come when Adam finally sees the misery, the darkness, when these suffocate him, when he realises he no longer loves Rey, then his life will fade away along with their love. But if all he has is the present and perhaps a few more moments to live with the man he loves, then he will take them and be grateful. Only God, only He knows what it is in stored for them.

He lifted his head and looked again at the night sky. There were still no stars to shine but the cloud temporarily moved and let the moon take a quick look upon the sleeping city. Rey's eyes opened and looked out as the silver rays fell upon his face, shedding their unworldly light in the room. It was a moment of peace, a moment of decisions and reconciliation.

The cloud moved again by the wind and covered the moon. Darkness fell again and covered the world. Rey's head lowered in grief. Would he even laugh again? Would he ever be happy? Questions he couldn't answer… plaguing his mind and rotting his soul. All he could do was pretend and hope he would be wrong. But his mind was cursed from the torture; he was sinking in desperation and he wasn't aware of it. He was already fading and he didn't know it. He needed help and he couldn't see it.

He could cry no more.

As he lay on the bed, Adam had no idea what dark thoughts passed from Rey's mind, what negative and disastrous feelings consumed him. There was however something that bothered him, deep in his guts that he couldn't exactly put his finger on. He couldn't sleep. He had feeling of emergency run through his body, his heart was racing as his mind drifted to Rey. Deciding that Morpheus the god of sleep had left him for greener pastures he got up and decided to go down to the hotel's bar and have a drink.

Surprisingly Eddie was there along with Kurt. They were sitting at the far end of the bar alone, talking silently. They didn't want to be heard from the other people around. Adam noticed a couple of people starring at him and the other two wrestlers. They must have been recognised. Paying no more attention to them, he approached the two men and sat next to Kurt.

"Can't sleep either eh?" Kurt asked.

Adam just nodded as he ordered a beer from the bar attendant, who after serving him retired to the other end of the bar, giving them the privacy they seemed to need.

"So… esse, tomorrow is the big day! What time are you picking him up?"

"I'm going early in the morning. I want to avoid the traffic and the press. I guess he will be released around midday…"

"Then what?" Eddie asked "Where will you go?"

"Then I am taking him home for a couple of weeks… to Canada. Far away from here" he replied not looking up from his bottle. They didn't answer back but Adam knew they wouldn't argue. "Eddie?" he paused to ask.

"What esse?"

"Do you think we are doing the right thing with this? I mean, is it wise to just take him away and hide him?"

"As opposed to what?" Kurt asked.

"Kurt is right" Eddie answered back. "Rey needs some time to recover, get his strength back, physically and most important mentally. You are going to have to do this. Let us worry about the rest. The locker room and the crew will be ready for his return, so don't worry about them. Focus on Rey. That is all that matters."

They stayed like this for a while, just drinking quietly and from time to time discussing about different topics just to get their minds off tomorrow. It was pretty late when they decided to call it a night. All three of them walked towards their room. Eddie was the first to say goodnight. Kurt and Adam walked and as they arrived in front of Adam's room, they stopped.

"Hey man…do you have a minute?" Kurt asked.

"Sure"

They entered Adam's room.

"So… what is it?" he asked

"Listen, this is hard so I'm just gonna go ahead and say it… When I was a little boy I had an older cousin, Tania… when she was eighteen she was raped by some creeps a couple of blocks away from home."

"I am sorry…"

"This is not the point…" he said almost frustrated. He sat facing Adam and looked intensely. "Adam, she… she killed herself six months later…"

"What are you saying?"

"All I am saying is be careful. Rey might look alright but he is not. He has the same look on his face like my cousin did right before she committed suicide. The last days of her life, she seemed alright. She was laughing and smiling and looked happy around her family. But I remember seeing her one time, alone in her room. And she had that cold look… empty… dead… hollow… And what scares me the most is that Rey had the same look last night when we left the hospital."

"Kurt I am sorry… I don't know what to say…"

"I didn't tell you this to scare you or warn you… I just wanted to tell you what I know and saw… just be careful man… don't make the same mistakes my family did."

He got up and started to leave. Half way he stopped and without looking back he added.

"Eddie is right you know. Rey needs love to survive. Even if these weren't his exact words, that is what he meant. And what we as friends are offering him is not enough. Only your love can help him survive."

And left closing softly the door behind him.

"I love him too" Adam answered to the empty room.

The three friends woke up early the next morning. None of them had had a decent night's sleep, and none of them spoke on their drive to the hospital. Kurt was riving with Eddie on the passenger's seat and Adam on the back, half asleep looking outside on the still closed shops. The day was promising to be as rainy as the previous ones. Adam couldn't wait to go home. Back there, there would be snow, lots of it, but there would also be the sun. Not hot enough to melt the snow, but bright enough to warm the hearts. It would be better that this damned city weather; grey, dark, cloudy… a weather made people's heart close and wither away.

When they arrived at the hospital Rey was already up. He was dressed up and had packed all his stuff in a sport's bag. He was sitting on his bed, back turned on the door, looking out. Adam walked in and sat next to Rey.

"Rain is coming" Rey said surprising his friend.

Adam took Rey hand is held it. Seeing that he wasn't looking at him, he took Rey's chin and turned his face towards his. He looked deeply into his eyes. They were tired; Rey hadn't slept either. He leaned over and let his lips brush lightly those of Rey. He sensed his odour, the aroma of his skin, the familiar smell he had missed. He felt Rey shiver from the touch of their lips. Adam traced his lover's lips with his tongue, wetting them, savouring them like it was the first time. Rey opened his mouth welcoming it in. He let it explore his mouth, and allowed it lick his tongue. The shivering increased. Adam continued his deep kiss but was taken aback when he felt Rey's tongue strike back. A well-known burn in his stomach rose and spread to his groin, making him hard. He slipped his hands under Rey's shirt and touched his soft skin, his chest and his stomach. They were kissing so passionately, so desperately. Nothing else mattered right there and then, only this, only them. Adam pushed softly Rey back on the bed, without parting their lips. Rey held Adam close to his body. He wanted to feel him, he wanted to be one with him… he needed this. The kiss became fiercer, lustful. Rey felt the same burn in his groin as Adam's hands touched his sensitive skin and reaching up, his sneaked his own hand under Adam's shirt. He touched his lover's back and grabbing him strongly he pulled him down against his body. For one brief moment their kiss stopped and they looked at each other gasping for air.

"I love you" Adam uttered between gasps. He touched Rey's face, his eyes his cheeks, his lips. "I love you" he said again and not waiting for his answer he dived in for another kiss. He kissed Rey's mouth, tasting so sweet, and followed the path down to his neck. He felt Rey shiver again, a moan escaping his lips as he arched his body rubbing his hardness against Adam's muscles. Adam continued to kiss his neck and let his hands caress the Mexican's torso. He began to move against Rey's body, matching his moves with his, like they were making love… Rey moaned again, his voice rasp, needful, begging for more.

Adam felt they were loosing control. For a few blissful minutes they had forgotten they were in the hospital, they had forgotten their torment… they were happy… together… embraced… He knew they had to stop before someone entered the room. They were in the hospital after all, but he found himself unable to hold back his urge. And it was pretty obvious Rey didn't want to either.

Rey feeling his partner touching, loving him felt like his body and mind was on fire. He hadn't realised how much he wanted this, and he hadn't thought how much he would need it. He lifted his head from the bed were it rested and kissed Adam's neck. He let his hands fall from his back lower to Adam's ass and further, to his dick. Adam turned and kissed him again, allowing more space to be touched better. Rey's hands rubbed his dick eagerly and clumsily searched the zipper of his pants. Adam knew they had to stop, but the direct touch of Rey's fingers with his cock paralysed him. He grabbed the bed sheets frantically, but didn't end their kiss, not even when Rey began to move his hand up and down.

"Oh my God…" he mumbled, loosing touch with reality. "Rey please…" he begged.

Rey stopped and looked up at the flushed face of the blond Canadian pleading on top of him.

"Rey… I need to feel you… I want to make love to you… but…" he stopped. Rey didn't let him finish his sentence. Instead he pulled him down to another hot kiss. His hand let his dick and reached his own jeans. With a couple of fast moves they were taken off along with his underwear. He didn't leave Adam the chance to react. Adam wasn't sure that he would have stopped him even if he could.

Lying there on the hospital bed, naked from the waist down, panting and sweating, Adam could do nothing but marvel his lover, this sudden change. He felt Rey's dick against his own, sending him off the edge. Everything was forgotten. It was too late to stop. His dick was throbbing, aching for Rey's body. He brought his fingers to Rey's mouth and slipped them inside. Rey accepted them knowing what his partner intended to do. He licked them, wetted them, played his tongue around them. Soon he released the fingers and Adam lowered them down between Rey's splayed open thighs. Gently, without pain, he pushed one finger inside. Feeling the tight walls of his anus relaxing immediately under his touch he moved it deeper, not reaching immediately for Rey's prostate. Adam wasn't sure he could wait much longer. Just seeing Rey looking at him with so much care, love and passion, hearing his pleads for more, he pushed another finger inside and with his free hand he took Rey's cock and started licking it.

Rey was breathing heavily. His eyes were shut from the pleasure on Adam's mouth around his cock and his fingers inside him. He moved his body lower showing Adam that it was time… that he was ready to accept him. Adam removed his fingers and placed himself on top of Rey. Slowly, gently he pushed the tip of his cock inside Rey's anus. Immediately he felt a surge of pleasure run through his body, like he was struck by lightning. He had to use every bit of his strength not to come right away. Rey moaned loudly and arched his back upwards from the pleasure. He felt Adam's cock slide deeper and deeper and surprisingly there was no pain there, just the yearning for more, faster and deeper. He grabbed Adam and pulled him deeper. And he followed his needs. He pushed his cock deeper in Rey, deeper inside reaching for his prostate. The slow thrusts became slowly faster and faster, but always careful, and his eyes never lost Rey's. As on cue, Adam's moves became faster and harder, And Rey had to bite his lip not to scream from the satisfaction. His prostate being pounded hard and fast send him over the edge. His own dick was throbbing and he was close to coming but he wanted to wait for his love.

Adam was lost in this new heaven. The warmth of his lover's body, smell of his skin, the taste of his mouth; he wanted this moment to last forever. He continued thrusting his dick in and out, flesh on flesh, skin on skin. The sound of their bodies rubbing together, of the sweet arousing sounds coming from the smaller man's mouth. He began to move faster, sensing he was close to coming.

He reached and took Rey's hand and with one single thrust he let his semen spill within the beautiful Mexican body whispering Rey's birth name.

"Oscar…"

Rey hearing his love in this moment speak his name and watching him come so powerfully but silently send new waves of lust. Adam didn't stop making love to Rey, but the few moves he had the strength to do where enough to reach Rey's prostate hard enough to make him come. Rey's body stiffened, and arching upwards again he felt his sperm shooting out. Adam leaned and took Rey's dick in his mouth, licking the semen. He felt it twitch under his care, and a few last drops run down from the tip. Rey lay back on the bed exhausted, breathing heavily. But he was happy, content.

Adam came up and lay beside him. He held him in his arms, Rey's back against his chest and they stayed like this for a few minutes.

"I wish we could stay like this forever" Rey broke the silence.

"Oscar… look at me…"

Rey turned and met they eyes of the blond man. Their faces were a few inches apart.

"I love you Rey-Rey… I am never going to let you go…"

Rey broke his gaze and again turned his back to him.

"That is what you say now… but you'll leave me… everybody does…" and sniffed back his tears. He felt Adam's hand on his shoulder gently pulling him on his back.

"Rey… don't do this. Don't build a wall of ice around you I can't get through. How can you doubt me after what we have been through? You know I love you… you are the most important person in my life."

"I know" he whispered back.

"Then how can you say such a thing? Rey, look at me. I am not going to leave you… never…"

"Never is a strong word."

"I am a strong man"

Rey smiled bitterly. He moved to get up from the bed and away from his hold, but he didn't make it. Adam was too strong and he was too fragile to react.

"Don't shut me out please." He begged. "You think you are the only one who suffers? Rey, if you leave me I'll die. I have no idea how I will make it without you. I need you."

Rey realised he was holding his breath. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Feelings he thought only he had, they were shared by Adam. He lowered his head and sadly replied.

"I am afraid… I'm scared that you are going to leave me when…"

"When what?"

"When you see right through me, when you see inside my heart and soul for what it really is"

"Oscar… I've already seen your heart and your soul. And I know you for what you really are. I love you when you are happy; I love you when you are sad. I love your smile, your shining eyes, your body… but most of all I love your mind and your heart…"

"Aren't you afraid of what you might find in there?"

"No I am not… everyone has some skeletons in their closet. You are no exception my king. I know there is darkness in your heart, like there is in mine. And I have a pretty good idea about yours. But you don't have to be afraid or scared. There is nothing that can chase me away from you. There is nothing in your heart that I hate or despise… Rey… I love you means I love the best and the worst of you… the worst even more… because they make you who you are. You are not perfect… I am not perfect either… so don't shut me out. I know what you are trying to hide, but I can't help you if you shut me out…"

"I… am afraid… but I love you… and I don't want to lose you…"

Rey broke down in tears. He buried his face in Adam's chest as he felt his strong arms rap around him. They were tears of happiness and sadness. Adam held him tightly and kissed his tears away. And Rey felt all the sadness and the pain disappear. His tears backed off and he relaxed.

"It seems you are stuck with me my love…"

"Yeah… it seems like it"

"Hah… I knew you couldn't resist me. You are an 'edge-head' deep inside. You are in love with my exotic Canadian charm" he said uttering the last words with a weird French accent.

Rey laughed.

"You sound like the Pepe le phew…"

"Who?"

Rey's laugh raised to something more than a chuckle.

"You now Pepe, the cartoon… the stinking ferret who always falls in love with a cat and chases her saying how much he loves her…"

"Are you saying that I stink?" Adam teased.

Rey couldn't let this slip.

"Yes." He answered lifting his eyebrows matter-of-factly.

"Oh my God… THIS IS WAR!"

"No, no help" Rey pretend to scream, but didn't make a move to escape his arms. He just surrendered to him. Adam grabbed him tighter and started to tickle him, but Rey wasn't ticklish. Adam gave up trying and just held him in his arms, closer.

"You are no fun. Your 'tickle function' is broken; next stop after the hospital is the repair shop to get you fixed… and I don't smell."

"No you don't" Rey smiled.

Voices from the corridor brought them back to reality. They were lucky they weren't caught from anyone. The embarrassment would be too great for both men. Quickly they got up and put on the clothes they had removed previously.

"Hurry up Rey Rey… we don't want to get caught like this"

Rey quickly put his clothes on, while laughing at their weird situation.

When the door opened, Eddie, Kurt and a doctor found them sitting side by side in the bed, like two kids who had done something wrong and were trying to hide it from their parents. Rey was choking a laugh that was coming to his neck.

"Stop laughing" Adam scolded him giving him an elbow.

"Sorry" Rey choked in his laughter.

The three people standing at the door looked at them as if they were nuts. Both men flushed and out of breath sitting on the edge of the bed. Adam smiling and Rey… Eddie had never seen Rey look so happy…

"Are you guys alright?" Kurt asked innocently.

Eddie laughed loudly, realising what just happened between the two lovers while they were with the doctor making the last arrangements for his release. His laughter echoed in the walls of the room, making Rey burst out his laughter too; a sincere, clear, honest laughter that in other circumstances would have made Eddie cry from happiness.

"What?" Kurt asked again failing to notice the joke they were laughing about. "What did I say?"

Even the doctor was forcing himself not to laugh at the obvious. Kurt looked at them in bewilderment.

"What?" he asked again.

"Gentlemen…" the doctor cleared his throat. "I believe you can leave now" and left.

Adam and Rey got up and walked towards the two wrestlers. Rey was still trying to hold back his laughter. Eddie was standing behind Kurt laughing. Adam came and stood directly in front of Kurt with a sly smirk on his face.

"Kurt dear" he said putting his sun glasses on. "Your capability to grasp the obvious some times matches the way you wrestle."

"Meaning what?" he asked frankly irritated.

"You suck" all three men cried out at once and finally burst out in laughter.

In other circumstances Kurt would have been angry, but seeing Rey laugh again, that childish smile and those eyes shining again, he couldn't help but smile himself.

"You guys… come on… stop this."

"Sorry Kurt… we just couldn't resist you…" Eddie said whipping his eyes from the tears. He grabbed Rey's bag and taking his friend from his shoulder lead him out of the room, leaving Kurt and Adam following them.

"So tell me esse… are you alright?"

"Yes Eddie, I think I am going to be fine… eventually."

"Eventually?"

He nodded.

"Yeah…eventually. With Adam's help and yours, I think I am going to be ok."

And Eddie believed him. He knew Rey wasn't lying about this. This Adam's love and his support, Rey would come back to them. It would take time and a lot of patience but Rey wasn't ready to give up. There were still many nightmares ahead, sleepless nights full of ghosts and bloody demons, but Rey would never be alone to face them. They would always be there to protect him, shelter his glass heart from shattering. He leaned and kissed his forehead.

"It is good to hear that my brother… it is good to hear that"

THE END


End file.
